New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) Noted lawyer and Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi told a parliamentary committee that the draft laws proposing simultaneous elections violate the “will of the people” and principles of federalism, even as several other jurists cited their positive impact while suggesting certain changes.

Former Supreme Court judge Hemant Gupta spoke against the curtailment of assemblies, which have not completed at least three years of tenure, to synchronise their elections with that of the Lok Sabha, sources said.

He instead suggested that their tenures should be extended.

Elections to the assemblies with an extended tenure can be held with the next Lok Sabha polls, he suggested, according to sources.

Another former SC judge B S Chauhan, also a former chairman of the Law Commission of India, called for introducing the “doctrine of constructive no-confidence motion” so that an alternative government must be ready to step in if the incumbent is brought down through a no-confidence motion, sources added.

Chauhan said the constitutional amendment bill by no means affects the basic structure of the Constitution, particularly the democratic or federal character of India.

Gupta also conveyed his broad agreement to amend the Constitution to conduct simultaneous elections to Parliament and state assemblies, the sources said.

Singhvi, however, made a detailed presentation on legal points supporting his party’s strident opposition to the concept of one nation one election (ONOE).

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have opposed the ONOE bills.

The sources said Singhvi, who is a Rajya Sabha member, noted that the idea of federalism has evolved in the country over a period of time, citing the devolution of financial resources to the states by the Finance Commission and the gradual empowerment of local bodies.

He said the curtailment of state assemblies and other provisions of the bills violate the “will of the people”.

He also appeared to suggest that simultaneous elections will homogenise agenda, favouring the same party in the national and state elections. When asked about several state polls where the popular verdict did not favour the party that did well in Lok Sabha elections held together, he said the reverse has happened in more cases.

The Joint Committee of Parliament headed by BJP MP P P Chaudhary held a day-long marathon meeting in which former Jammu and Kashmir High Court chief justice S N Jha also interacted with the panel.

Jha, sources added, wholeheartedly endorsed the idea of simultaneous bills.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj attended the meeting with a bag carrying a message about the “loot” in the case. Her black bag had “National Herald Ki Loot” emblazoned over it in red colour. PTI KR RT