One Nation, One Election biggest threat to democracy, says Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. File Pic

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday slammed the "One Nation, One Election" bill, calling it the biggest threat to democracy, reported news agency ANI.

He also accused the BJP of forming a government in Maharashtra by manipulating EVMs.

Addressing a press conference, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, "No proper amendment or research has been done about it. Modi ji always speaks his Mann ki Baat. He never thinks about what is in the mind of the public or what is in the mind of the people in opposition. I doubt whether Modi ji will remain the Prime Minister till 2029. This is the biggest threat to democracy. Your governments in Maharashtra, and Delhi, are not governments formed by democracy. These are governments formed by EVMs," reported ANI.

JDU MP Sanjay Jha backed the One Nation, One Election bill saying that it would ensure that development work is not stopped due to frequent elections.

"After independence, simultaneous elections were held in the country. However, the Congress party started imposing the President's rule in the states. The development work which gets stalled due to frequent elections will not stop after the implementation of One Nation, One Election. Our party fully supports One Nation, One Election," he said, reported ANI.

The 'One Nation, One Election' bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on Thursday paving the way for its introduction in Parliament. However, before its introduction in the Parliament, the bill initiated debate between the ruling and opposition parties.

Several parties of the INDIA bloc opposed the bill while the BJP-led NDA alliance parties welcomed this bill, saying, it would save time and lay the groundwork for unified elections across the country.

Notably, in September this year, the Union Cabinet approved the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, which aims to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, along with urban body and panchayat polls, within a span of 100 days, reported ANI.

The recommendations were outlined in a report by a high-level panel chaired by former President Kovind.

Following the Cabinet's approval, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the decision, calling it a significant step towards enhancing India's democracy.

"The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative," PM Modi posted on X.

(With inputs from ANI)