A Joint Parliamentary Committee is holding nationwide consultations on two Bills related to the politically divisive issue of ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE). PP Chaudhary, the BJP MP who is heading the multi-party panel, has stated that India can save Rs 7 lakh crore if Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are held simultaneously. According to him, this exercise would raise the country’s GDP by 1.6 per cent and the money saved can be used for development works and welfare schemes. There is no quarrel with the argument that ONOE would lead to considerable savings in terms of money, time and manpower. However, there is much more to electoral democracy than convenience and cost-benefit calculations.
The Congress and many other Opposition parties are calling simultaneous polls an attempt by the BJP-led Union government to centralise power and undermine the federal structure. These concerns have only grown after the saffron party added West Bengal to its burgeoning kitty of states. The Centre, however, is insistent that ONOE will benefit the nation. The lack of consensus makes it vital for the parliamentary committee to engage with a wide range of stakeholders — political parties, constitutional authorities, legal experts, administrative bodies, financial and educational institutions, industry and civil society.
One of the biggest challenges is to synchronise elections — different states go to the polls in different years. Also, there has to be a concrete plan for the worst-case scenario — when a government falls mid-term due to defections or a no-confidence motion. Moreover, Lok Sabha elections focus on national issues, while Assembly battles primarily revolve around state/regional matters. Clubbing the two contests may give an unfair advantage to the ruling party at the Centre, especially in states where it is not in power. The panel must take diverse factors and perspectives into account before submitting its findings. After all, the proposal, if implemented, will have far-reaching implications for India’s democratic and federal framework.
