Hostile Reception

In south India, the BJP would encounter formidable challenges in elucidating and brokering the One Nation, One Election policy, potentially limiting its political manoeuvrability

- Shahina K K and Anisha Reddy 

THE introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy in Wayanad were two factors that played a crucial role in the United Democratic Front’s (UDF’s) remarkable victory in the 2019 Parliamentary elections. But this did not necessarily reflect any significant anti-incumbency sentiment, as demonstrated in the subsequent assembly elections where the Left Democratic Front (LDF) retained power with an impressive tally of 99 seats. In essence, the key takeaway is straightforward: people apply different scales for different elections.

The concept of One Nation, One Election (ONOE) appears highly implausible to constitutional experts and non-BJP parties in south India. According to P D T Achary, a constitutional expert and former Lok Sabha Secretary General, it is a notion that seems hardly feasible as it fundamentally contradicts the core principles of the Constitution. “The authority to dissolve a state government primarily resides with the state government itself. The governor’s recommendation for dissolution is typically based on the decision made by the council of ministers within that state. The Centre’s power to dismiss a state government is derived from Article 356, but this power cannot be exercised arbitrarily,” says Achary. He further argues that the implementation of ONOE goes against the basic structural doctrine—no constitutional amendment is possible if it goes against the basic structure of the Constitution—as it would result in burying the principles of federalism, a scenario that is highly unlikely to materialise.