One Nation One Election
Source: Live Mint
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Overview
- What is One Nation One Election?
- Amends and changes required for implementation
Why in News?
Union government constituted a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of One Nation, One Election holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections.
News in Brief
- Right now, a committee has been constituted.
- A report of the committee will come out which will be discussed.
- This is not a new concept for the country.
- India had simultaneously held Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
- They were stopped when some state Assemblies and Lok Sabha were dissolved ahead of their conclusions.
What is One Nation One Election?
- One Nation One Election proposes that simultaneous elections be held in all states and the Lok Sabha in a gap of five years.
- This will involve the restructuring of the Indian election cycle in a manner that elections to the states and the centre synchronise.
- This would mean that the voters will cast their vote for electing members of the LS and the state assemblies on a single day, at the same time (or in a phased manner as the case may be).
Simultaneous Elections In India
- Simultaneous polls to states and Lok Sabha is not a newly conceived norm.
- In fact, simultaneous elections have previously been conducted in India in 1952, 1957, 1962 and 1967.
- Soon after, this norm was discontinued following the dissolution of some Legislative Assemblies between 1968 -69.
- Since then, the Indian Electoral system holds polls to Centre and states separately.
Advantages of One Nation One Election
- Reduced Electoral Expenditure: Synchronizing elections could potentially reduce the overall cost of conducting elections, as many resources are spent on security, logistics, and campaigning during elections. Fewer elections would mean cost savings.
- Continuous Governance: With synchronized elections, the focus would be on governance for a longer duration rather than on election campaigns. This could lead to more stability and uninterrupted development.
- Reduced Disruption: Frequent elections can disrupt normal life and governance, as politicians and officials are often diverted from their regular duties to participate in election-related activities.
- Voter Fatigue: Frequent elections may lead to voter fatigue and reduced voter turnout. Synchronizing elections might encourage more people to participate.
- Streamlined Administration: Conducting elections simultaneously could streamline the administrative process, as many states and the central government share common resources and personnel for elections.
Challenges and Concerns
- Constitutional and Legal Issues: Implementing ONOE would require significant constitutional changes and legal amendments, as the terms of state legislatures are not uniform. Overcoming these legal hurdles is a major challenge.
- Political Opposition: Some political parties have expressed concerns that ONOE might favor national parties over regional ones, as simultaneous elections could lead to a more presidential-style campaign, which may not be advantageous for smaller parties.
- Logistical Challenges: Coordinating elections across the country, especially in a diverse and populous nation like India, poses logistical challenges, including the availability of security forces and resources.
- Complexity of Election Issues: Combining state and national issues in a single election could make it difficult for voters to make informed choices. State and national issues often require different considerations.
- Loss of Accountability: Critics argue that holding elections at different times allows voters to hold their elected representatives more accountable at various levels of government. Synchronizing elections might reduce this accountability.
- Political Motivations: Some critics suggest that ONOE could be used for political purposes, with the ruling party attempting to capitalize on national sentiment to secure more seats at both the state and national levels.
- Receive ratification from at least 50% of the States which may not be an easy peasy task.
Amendment and changes required for implementation
- Article 172 and Article 83 deal with the duration of the Houses of Parliament, and guarantee a five-year term to both the elected Lok Sabha and state assemblies, unless they are dissolved sooner.
- Article 85 of the Indian Constitution deals with the powers of the President to summon Parliamentary sessions, not exceeding a gap of more than six months.
- Article 356 of the Indian Constitution, comes into action in case of governance and constitutional failure in a state and deals with the President’s Rule.
- Law Commission headed by Justice B. S. Chauhan reported that simultaneous elections are not feasible within the existing framework of the Constitution.
- Amendments in the People’s Representation Act, 1951(RPA Act 1951) made for organised conduct and stability in both Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
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