Modi govt clears 'one nation, one election' proposal for simultaneous polls in India

The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sep 18 approved the government's “one nation, one election” proposal, which advocates simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the country as recommended by a high-level panel headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind.

The panel which held months-long deliberations on the proposal, also outlined provisions for a 'unity government' in cases of an indefinite result or a no-confidence motion, as it had been tasked with recommending such solutions.

The report presented before the Cabinet lays out a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of simultaneous elections. The panel has recommended conducting concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies as the first phase to be followed by synchronized local body polls within a 100-day period.

The proposal aims to streamline the country's electoral process by reducing the frequency of elections, which are currently staggered over multiple years at different levels of governance. It is also seen as a cost-saving measure, with the potential to significantly reduce the financial and administrative burden of frequent elections.

Addressing a press conference, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the “One Nation, One Election” would be implemented in two phases with a single list to identify eligible voters for all polls.

"Over 80 % of the respondents supported simultaneous polls. The opposition parties may face pressure from within to support it. But the proposal received support from a large number of parties," Vaishnaw said.

"A common electoral roll will be made for all elections. An implementation group will be formed to take forward the recommendations of the Kovind panel," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a strong proponent of the simultaneous election proposal in
India. During his Independence Day address earlier this year, Modi had called for an end to the “disruption” caused by frequent elections, which he argued were hampering the country’s progress.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies like Janta Dal (U) and Lok Janshakti Party have supported the proposal.
However, making the proposal a reality will require two-thirds of Parliament to side with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), since the proposed system involves amending the Constitution in at least six places.

Also, it needs to be ratified by all states and Union Territories. The BJP-led union government has a simple majority in both Houses. Notably, it is short of the two-thirds mark by 52 votes in the Rajya Sabha and 72 in the Lok Sabha.

The 'one nation, one election' proposal was part of BJP’s poll manifesto for the 2019 and 2024 general elections, but it has evoked severe criticism from the Opposition parties including the Congress.

The opposition parties have expressed serious concerns over changes to the Constitution and practical challenges, including cutting short the terms of certain state Assemblies to align them with the proposed new round of elections.

The Congress said this proposal is "not pragmatic and practical". Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge while releasing the party's manifesto for next month's Haryana election called it "an attempt to divert the attention of the public".

"This is not going to succeed... the people will not accept it." said Kharge.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was recently quoted as saying that the 'one nation, one election' system is not possible under the present Constitution, as it requires at least five constitutional amendments.

Opposition parties particularly in the Congress-led India-bloc have also condemned this proposal. While releasing its manifesto for the Lok Sabha election, Tamil Nadu's DMK vowed to scrap the 'one nation, one election' proposal if the India-bloc were to win the election.

The Modi 2.0 government had constituted the committee to examine the feasibility of simultaneous elections in the country. The panel submitted its report to the President in March this year.

What the panel said

According to the high-profile panel, holding simultaneous polls will "transform the electoral process and governance" and "optimize scarce resources".

The panel report claimed at least 32 parties and prominent judicial figures, including former Supreme Court Chief Justices and High Court judges, backed this proposal.

Some of the advantages listed for 'one nation, one election' are that it makes the electoral process easier for voters. Synchronizing polls will also result in higher and faster economic growth, and therefore a more stable economy, the panel argued, while claiming a single round of elections will allow businesses and corporate firms to make decisions without fear of adverse policy changes.

The panel has also noted that (eventually) holding elections at all three levels - for the Lok Sabha, for state Assemblies, and for panchayats - will "avoid disruption of supply chains and production cycles due to migrant workers seeking leave of absence to cast their votes".

The high-level panel said the proposal would save approximately ₹ 10,000 crore every 15 years. The 'one nation, one election' proposal will also "prevent policy paralysis", and do away with the "atmosphere of uncertainty" which the government argues is brought on by frequent elections.

Before the Ram Nath Kovind-led panel was announced last year, the then-law minister outlined the government's rationale and told the Parliament that simultaneous elections represent financial savings as it cut down on multiple deployment of security forces, and also help political parties save money.