One Nation One Election: In a big development towards simultaneous elections, the Union Cabinet today approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal for holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in one go and urban body and panchayat polls within 100 days of the parliamentary polls.
The recommendations were made in a report of a high-level panel committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. “In the first phase, Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections will be held and in the second phase, local bodies elections (Gram Panchayat, Block, Zila Panchayat) and urban local bodies (municipality and municipal committees or municipal corporations),” said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
While 15 opposition parties have rejected the move, there are many opposition parties who have extended their support to the decision to hold simultaneous polls. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav have supported the move.
As per the panel report, other opposition parties in support include Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress of Jagan Mohan Reddy, Biju Janata Dal of Naveen Patnaik, Bharat Rashtra Samithi led by K Chandrashekar Rao, Sukhbir Badal’s Shiromani Akali Dal, and Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party.
The parties who have opposed the idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’ include Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), CPI, CPIM, Congress, AIUDF, Trinamool Congress, AIMIM, DMK, Naga People’s Front, MDMK, VCK and SDPI. The Congress and TMC have termed it a ‘cheap stunt’.
Union Cabinet has accepted the recommendations by the high-level committee on ‘One Nation, One Election. Cabinet approved the proposal unanimously.”
He stated that the proposal of the Kovind panel will be implemented in two phases. “In the first phase, Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections will be held, and in the second phase, local bodies elections (Gram Panchayat, Block, Zila Panchayat) and urban local bodies (municipality and municipal committees or municipal corporations),” the Minister said.
On why the Centre plans to implement ‘One Nation, One Election’, the Kovind-led High-Level Committee on ‘One Nation-One Election’ in its report stated that frequent elections create an atmosphere of uncertainty and impact policy decisions. The report also clarified that holding simultaneous elections would bring enhanced certainty in policy making.
‘One Nation, One Election’ also facilitates greater voter turnout.
Intermittent elections had adverse consequences on economic growth, quality of public expenditure, and educational and other outcomes, besides upsetting social harmony.
