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With the proposed 'One Nation, One Election' heading for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar raised concerns about the potential passage of the bill.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the VBA chief said that if the bill is passed, it would signal the beginning of the end for political parties in India. "The future of this country is at stake if this bill is passed. The end of political parties will begin," he told reporters. Commenting on the opposition's assertion that the bill threatens the federal structure, he added, "The federal structure has already ended. States are financially dependent on the Centre because of GST. Their economies have withered away." Responding to another question, Ambedkar said, "This is the beginning of dictatorship. Congress has to take a stand, and it should not be a wavering one." Earlier, the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, were formally introduced in the Lok Sabha after a vote. A total of 269 members voted in favour, while 196 voted against the bills. The vote results were announced by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, following Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal's formal introduction of the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024. Meghwal agreed to send the bill to a JPC, as suggested by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. During the day's proceedings, Meghwal also introduced a bill to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. These amendments aim to align assembly elections in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry with the proposed simultaneous elections, reinforcing the government's commitment to the One Nation, One Election framework. (ANI)
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