'Unconstitutional': Mamata writes to Kovind-led panel against Modi govt's 'One Nation, One Election' push

In the letter, Banerjee alleged that the high-level panel headed by Kovind was not representative and that Chief Ministers were not taken on board for 'fear of receiving practical objections'.

New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress on Thursday told the Ram Nath Kovind-led panel that it is opposed to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, claiming that the “covert” design is to change the country's Parliamentary system into Presidential system.

In a four-page letter, party Chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the high-level panel headed by Kovind was not representative and that Chief Ministers were not taken on board for “fear of receiving practical objections”.

Mamata’s letter comes close on the heels of objections to the proposal submitted by CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and his CPI counterpart D Raja earlier this month.

Noting that the ‘One Nation, One Election’ phrase “looks dramatic and sensational", the Trinamool chief argued that the framers of the Constitution did not mention ‘One Nation, One Government’, asserting that they envisaged a Union and state governments. Given this fact, how did the Modi govt arrive at the concept of simultaneous polls, Banerjee asked.

She said in the Westminster system of Parliamentary democracy where the Cabinet is not chosen directly by the people, governments may not complete terms for various reasons and in such a situation, the only option is a fresh election.

“Non-simultaneous federal and state elections are a basic feature in the Westminster system which should not be altered. To paraphrase, non-simultaneity is part of the basic structure of the Indian Constitutional arrangement,” she said.

“I also incidentally suspect that the instant design to subvert the basic structure of the Indian Constitutional arrangements is aimed at converting the polity of ours into a Presidential system … The design is kept covert, seemingly because autocracy wants a democratic grab now to enter the national public arena. I am against autocracy and hence I am against your design,” she said in the letter.

She also found fault with the “some sort of unilateral top-down decision already taken by the central government to impose a structure” that is “certainly against the spirit of a truly” democratic and federal structure laid down by the Constitution.

Mamata said it appeared that the Kovind-led panel viewed the proposed amendments to the Constitution as a “mere formality”. Without consulting the state governments, she said, the panel informs them that it is in agreement with the “much touted advantages” of simultaneous polls.