New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Thursday told a parliamentary committee that the Concurrent Elections Bill does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution.According to sources, Gavai, the sixth former CJI to appear before the joint committee of Parliament headed by BJP MP PP Chaudhary, said if the bill is passed, it will neither affect the federal structure nor the democratic form of governance, thereby aligning the proposed law with the basic structure.The One Nation, One Election Act, popularly known as the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 129, only changed the way elections were conducted once, while the structure of the polls and the rights of voters remained unchanged.Excited about Gawai’s support, Chaudhry said the opposition parties should join the ruling alliance in supporting the bill so that the proposed law can be materialized, paving the way for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Parliament polls.He told reporters that it was in the national interest and that all parties should put aside political interests to support the proposal, noting that most legal experts believe there is nothing constitutionally wrong with the bill.Sources added that the former CJI dismissed criticism questioning the parliamentary mandate as the bill also affects states and said the legislature has the mandate.He pointed out that India held simultaneous elections until 1967.The entire opposition bloc condemned the bill as an attack on India’s federal structure and questioned the government’s arguments in support of it.
