One Nation, One Election Declared Unconstitutional, Impossible in Parliamentary Democracy: Prashant Bhushan

Nagpur, Dec 24: Renowned lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan has strongly opposed the concept of "one nation, one election," calling it absurd and unconstitutional, in his speech at Parwana Oration 2024.

Addressing journalists after the event, Bhushan stated that simultaneous polls are impractical in parliamentary democracies due to government dependence on majority support. He emphasized that if there is a party split or defections, the government's stability is compromised, and imposing President's rule for the remaining term would be unacceptable.

Furthermore, he noted that holding only partial elections, such as fresh ones only for the remainder of the term, is "bogus" and disregards democracy. Bhushan condemned this idea, saying it does not facilitate healthy governance.

In contrast to this proposal, Prashant Bhushan appreciated the recent apex court judgments regarding 'bulldozer justice' and staying lawsuits about reclaiming religious places, particularly mosques. These decisions have effectively limited destructive practices, such as demolishing properties without proper notice, and safeguarded citizens' rights.

Additionally, he praised recent judgements that curbed ED's misuse of powers to harass opposition leaders or activists.

Regarding the proposed 18% GST rate on used car sales by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Bhushan urged its scrapping from the policy framework as it seemed misplaced and may face court challenges.

Bhushan emphasized economic democracy vs. political democracy, pointing out substantial disparities between the haves and have-nots due to increasing wealth concentration among a few families.