DMK warns of legal action against one nation, one election panel

CHENNAI: The DMK on Wednesday reiterated its opposition to conduct simultaneous elections to the Parliament and state Assemblies and urged the high-level committee constituted to examine the issue to stop its work immediately.

The DMK also threatened to seek suitable legal remedy if the committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind does not cease to examine the issue.

In its elaborate letter to the committee, the DMK justified the reasons for its opposition to conducting simultaneous elections and said that the very constitution of the high-level committee, which was set up in accordance with the executive powers vested on the Union government under Article 73 of the Constitution, was itself invalid as it violated the Constitutional provision enabling the Parliament to make decisions only on those subjects it has the powers to legislate on.

The DMK said that the idea of holding simultaneous elections was ‘impractical’ and opposed to the fundamentals of the Constitution, mainly the principle of free and fair elections.