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The ‘One Nation, One Election’ law may be introduced by the central government, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the special session of Parliament that will take place from September 18 to 22 and was unexpectedly summoned by Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi.
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One Nation, One Election: What is it?
‘One Nation, One Election’ refers to the concept of holding elections simultaneously across the nation. This indicates that the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies will be elected concurrently throughout India, with voting likely taking place at roughly the same time.
Currently, elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies are held independently, either when the current government’s five-year tenure finishes or if it is dissolved for a variety of reasons.
The Lok Sabha (India’s lower house of Parliament) and all state assemblies will be elected at the same time under the “One Nation, One Election” concept. The plan is to hold both of these elections on the same day or within a certain period of time.
Why this is required?
- The financial savings associated with holding simultaneous elections would be one of the main benefits. A staggering Rs 60,000 crore, according to sources, was spent on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The sum comprises expenditures made by both the Election Commission of India (ECI) and political parties engaged in electoral campaigning.
- In addition, supporters of simultaneous voting contend that because the country’s administrative structure slows down significantly during voting, doing so will boost efficiency. Elections have an impact on routine administrative tasks since officials must conduct polling.
- The introduction of “One Nation, One Election” will allow the administration to concentrate more on governance as opposed to being in election mode, which frequently impedes the implementation of policies.
- Additionally, it will support maintaining continuity in the policies and initiatives of the national and state governments. Currently, anytime elections are scheduled, the Model Code of Conduct is implemented, prohibiting the launch of new public welfare initiatives during that time.
- The Law Commission added that because it will be easier for voters to cast their votes all at once, simultaneous elections will increase voter turnout.
Why political parties are opposing it?
A major obstacle is getting all political parties to agree since the opposition parties are against “One Nation, One Election.”Regional parties’ main concern with concurrent elections is that they won’t be able to effectively address local issues since national issues will take centre stage. Additionally, they wouldn’t be able to compete with national parties in terms of campaign spending and strategy.
Also, Constitutional changes would be necessary to align the tenure of the state legislative assemblies with those of the Lok Sabha in order to hold simultaneous elections. It will also be necessary to change other legislative procedures as well as the Representation of the People Act.
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