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Polity & Governance
Mahesh

05/09/23 06:02 AM IST

Government forms panel headed by ex-President Kovind

In News
  • The government has formed a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of 'One Nation One Election' that aims for holding of general and state elections simultaneously.
One Nation One Election
  • The idea of 'One Nation, One Election' refers to holding simultaneous elections across the country.
  • This means that elections for the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies across India will be held simultaneously — with voting presumably taking place around the same time.
  • The concept of simultaneous elections in India dates back to at least 1983 when it was first proposed by the Election Commission. However, India initially conducted simultaneous elections to both the Lok Sabha (House of People) and State Legislative Assemblies in 1951-52, and this practice continued in the subsequent General Elections of 1957, 1962, and 1967.
  • Unfortunately, the cycle of simultaneous elections was disrupted due to the premature dissolution of some Legislative Assemblies in 1968 and 1969. In 1970, the Lok Sabha itself was dissolved ahead of schedule, leading to fresh elections in 1971. Consequently, the First, Second and Third Lok Sabha were the only ones to enjoy full five-year terms.
  • The frequent premature dissolutions and extensions of the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies' terms led to separate elections for these bodies, disrupting the cycle of simultaneous elections that had been established earlier.
Benefits
  • It can help regulate election and party expenses. In the initial Lok Sabha elections in 1951-52, 53 parties participated with poll expenses of 11 crore rupees. In contrast, the 2019 elections saw 610 political parties, around 9,000 candidates, and an estimated poll expenditure of 60,000 crore rupees (as declared by ADR).
  •  Implementing this concept would save public funds and alleviate the burden on administrative structures and security forces. It would ensure the timely execution of government policies and enable the administrative machinery to focus on development rather than election-related tasks.
  • Voters would have the opportunity to assess the policies and performance of both state and central governments more effectively. This would make it easier for voters to compare political parties' promises with their actual implementation.
  • It can address governance challenges by discouraging politicians from making short-term decisions for electoral gains, thus promoting decisions beneficial for the country in the long run.
  • Conducting elections once every five years would provide more preparation time for all stakeholders, including political parties, the Election Commission of India (ECI), paramilitary forces, and civilians.
Challenges
  • To hold simultaneous elections, the terms of both the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies must align. Currently, some state assemblies have elections at different times, leading to variations in their terms. To achieve synchronization, constitutional amendments would be required, impacting Articles 83, 85, 172, 174, and 356.
  • Modifying the terms of legislative bodies necessitates changes in key constitutional articles, such as Article 83 (Lok Sabha term), Article 85 (Lok Sabha dissolution), Article 172 (State Legislative Assembly term), Article 174 (State Legislative Assembly dissolution), and Article 356 (President's Rule). Additionally, amendments to the Representation of the People Act and related parliamentary procedures would be essential.
  • India's parliamentary system mandates that the government is accountable to the Lower House (Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly). If the government falls before completing its term, elections are imperative. Achieving "One Nation One Election" must address this inherent feature of the parliamentary form of government.
  • Convincing all political parties to support "One Nation One Election" is a formidable challenge.
Source- India Today

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