Voting on One Nation, One Election bills shows BJP lacked two-third majority: Shashi Tharoor

New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said that the voting on the introduction of two bills for simultaneous elections in the Lok Sabha revealed that the BJP does not possess the two-thirds majority required to pass a constitutional amendment.

The two bills, which propose mechanisms to enable simultaneous elections, were introduced in the Lok Sabha after a heated debate. While the government defended the move, Opposition parties called the draft laws—comprising a constitutional amendment bill and an ordinary bill—an attack on the federal structure.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament premises, Tharoor said, "We (the Congress) are not the only ones opposing this bill. The vast majority of opposition parties have raised their objections. This bill violates the federal structure of the Constitution. Why should a state government fall just because the central government falls?"

He questioned the logic of synchronising mandates, stating, "Why should the tenure of a government elected by the people be cut short to align with another’s? In a parliamentary system, fixed terms are impractical. They ended in 1969 precisely because, in our system, different Houses, majorities, and coalitions rise and fall at different times."

Tharoor argued that efforts to overhaul the system were pointless, as it would inevitably lead to the same instability when governments—at the Centre or in states—lose their majority.

"This entire exercise is a folly," he said. "Today’s voting clearly shows that the BJP lacks the two-thirds majority needed to amend the Constitution."

He also noted that while the government might structure the proposed Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to ensure its dominance, passing a constitutional amendment would still require broader support. "The discussion is becoming increasingly futile," Tharoor said.