“It Is Not Possible, Not Acceptable, And Not Correct…” Says Mamata Banerjee On ‘One Nation, One Election’

‘One Nation, One Election’ is not practically feasible given India’s federal structure, according to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, who made this statement on Thursday. Banerjee asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to look into the matter “very very rationally” hours after sending a letter to Dr. Niten Chandra, secretary of a high-level committee that has requested suggestions for implementing the idea.

Mamata Banerjee: “It is not possible, not acceptable, and not correct…”

“I do not appreciate it in a practical sense because it is not possible, not acceptable, and not correct from the federal structure point of view. I will request the ECI to see it very sincerely, they have to be very very rational in this case particularly,” Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat. “This is not only our voice but INDIA’s voice. We must see our state policy, central policy, state structure, our federal structure,” she added.

Committee set for the nationwide collection of opinions

The former president Ram Nath Kovind’s high-level committee had written to political parties to get their thoughts on the subject. Since the committee’s formation in September of last year, two meetings have been held. It has asked political parties for their opinions and to communicate with them on a “mutually agreed date” regarding the idea of conducting simultaneous polls. It has also asked the public for their thoughts on the matter.

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What is ‘One Nation, One Election’

The objective of the “One Nation, One Election” concept in India is to align elections for all state assemblies and the Lok Sabha, the country’s lower house of parliament. These elections are intended to take place concurrently, either on the same day or during a predetermined period of time. The government’s determination to take the idea of holding simultaneous state assembly and Lok Sabha elections seriously is demonstrated by PM Modi’s persistent advocacy of it over the years and his decision to assign Kovind the task of investigating it.