CPI-M wants further consolidation and expansion of INDIA bloc

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Sep 18, 2023

Agartala, Sept 18 (FD)The Polit Bureau of CPI-M decided to work for the further consolidation and expansion of INDIA bloc to strengthen the efforts to safeguard the secular democratic character of the Indian Republic, the Constitution, Democracy and People’s fundamental rights and civil liberties. In a press statement in Delhi on Sunday said, this requires that the BJP must be kept away from controlling the Union government and State Power. The Polit Bureau decided to further strengthen these efforts. The Polit Bureau endorsed the CPI(M) position at the last three meetings of INDIA bloc in Patna, Bengaluru and Mumbai to organize a series of public meetings across the country and to mobilize the people to ensure the defeat of the BJP in the forthcoming elections. Efforts should be focused to further expand the INDIA bloc and also to draw in significant sections of the people’s movements in this effort. While all decisions will be taken by the leaders of the constituents, there should be no organizational structures that will be an impediment for such decisions.
It said, any attempt to hold simultaneous elections in the country would constitute a twin assault on Parliamentary democracy and Federalism as enshrined in our Constitution. Modi government has appointed an 8-member committee headed by former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind to recommend how to proceed to implement simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Apart from significant amendments to the Constitution, such a proposal would entail either curtailing or extending the life of State Assemblies to synchronize them with Lok Sabha elections. When a government loses its majority on the floor of the House, its continuation is illegal. If a Central rule is imposed denying people their right to elect a government, then it is anti-democratic. The CPI(M) strongly opposes this proposal.
Modi government has circulated a draft Bill on the appointment of Election Commissioners and related matters. This bill negates the Supreme Court Constitution bench verdict which proposed that the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners should be appointed by a selection committee consisting of the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India. This proposed legislation to be considered by the special session of the Parliament replaces the Chief Justice of Indian with a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister. This ensures the domination of the government over the Election Commission which is patently undemocratic and undermines the EC’s efforts to implement its Constitutional mandate of holding free and fair elections.

The CPI(M) urges all the parties of the INDIA bloc to oppose and defeat this Bill in the Rajya Sabha.