‘1 nation, 1 poll’ a slogan, need White Paper: AAP

Not allowed to attend all-party meeting on issue, says party

The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday said that there is no White Paper or policy draft on the Central government’s proposal to conduct simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and local bodies.

The party said that currently the idea is just a slogan and urged the Central government to issue a document on the plan.

“We note with concern the lack of a vision document, policy draft or White Paper on the proposed concept of ‘One nation, one poll’ or ‘simultaneous polls’,” read a letter written by AAP’s national spokesperson Raghav Chadha to Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.

“In the absence of a clear basis/vision, it would be futile for any political party to comment on the merits or demerits of a proposal such as this,” it read.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called an all-party meeting on the issue on Wednesday and AAP said that though Mr. Chadha was supposed to attend it on behalf of party chief Arvind Kejriwal, he was not allowed to attend the meeting.

“Two days ago, the Chief Minister’s office had informed the office of the Parliamentary Affairs Minister in writing that I will be attending the meeting on the CM’s behalf. But today, about 90 minutes before the meeting, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s office informed us that I can’t attend the meeting as only party presidents were allowed,” Mr. Chadha told

The Hindu .

Mr. Chadha also raised questions on what will happen if a State government dissolves the Assembly.

“As the law stands, if a government chooses to dissolve itself, or loses its majority... under a ‘simultaneous elections’ regime, will the people of the State have to wait till the Lok Sabha election to get another democratically elected State Assembly? What if that waiting period is one or two years or more?,” the letter read.

‘Anti-democratic tint’

He said in the letter that the concept of “compelled” simultaneous elections has an “anti-democratic tint basing its foundation on premature dissolution of any government. The harrowing experience of emergency where Lok Sabha and some Assemblies were extended before five years and other Assemblies dissolved to suit Congress’ political interest is worth recalling.”