One Nation One Election, what is the debate about?

In recent years, there has been a distinct trend of frequent elections in several Indian states. According to NITI Aayog, not a single year in the last 30 years has passed without an election, whether for a State Assembly, Lok Sabha, or both. On June 19, 2019, the Prime Minister of India invited the leaders of all political parties to a meeting to discuss "one nation, one election" and other important issues.

One Nation One Election: What is it?

The "One Nation, One Election" concept seeks to simplify the Indian electoral process by synchronizing the calendars for Lok Sabha (national) and State Assembly (regional) elections. Currently, India has general elections every five years for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. However, some states have separate elections for their Assemblies, putting the government under tremendous financial strain.

One Nation One Election: History

India has a history of simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies in 1952, 1957, 1962, and 1967. However, this practice was discontinued in 1968-69 due to the dissolution of Legislative Assemblies. India is now attempting to adopt the old election system, but there is no consensus among political parties.

One Nation One Election: Advantages 

1. Economic Benefits through Cost Savings:

• One of the primary advantages of the simultaneous election proposal is the potential for substantial government savings.
• Implementing One Nation One Election could result in significant cost reductions for the government.

2. Historical Election Expenditure:

• In the initial Lok Sabha elections of 1951-52, there were 53 contesting parties, approximately 1,874 candidates, and election expenses amounted to 11 crore rupees.
• In the 2019 elections, there were 610 political parties, about 9,000 candidates, and an estimated 60,000 crore rupees in poll expenses (as declared by ADR), with additional undisclosed costs by political parties.
• The Law Commission of India estimated that procuring enough Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would cost around 4,500 crore rupees, which could eventually balance out over time.

3. Accelerating Development Work:

• Frequent elections lead to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct, which restricts the launch of new public welfare projects.
• Conducting elections simultaneously would ensure policy and project continuity at both central and state government levels.

4. Focused Social Welfare Efforts:

• The government deploys substantial resources for conducting elections, impacting the functioning of schools and universities.
• The One Nation One Election concept would enable educational institutions to operate without frequent disruptions, positively affecting the overall population's quality of life.

5. Eliminating Manipulative Promises:

• During elections, political parties often resort to strategies aimed at gaining favor with specific voter blocs.
• These strategies involve making promises or attempts to tarnish the reputation of rival parties to secure electoral advantages.

One Nation One Election: Disadvantage

1. Divergent Issues in State and National Elections:

• State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections typically revolve around different issues. Regional parties focus on local concerns, while national parties emphasize broader national issues.
• This could result in regional parties struggling to effectively address local issues if elections are synchronized.

2. Financial and Strategic Disparities:

• Regional parties may find it challenging to compete with national parties in terms of election expenses and strategies.
• State assembly elections are closely tied to local matters and voters, making it less likely for regional parties to embrace the idea of simultaneous elections.

3. Demand for Paper Ballots:

• Currently, many regional parties advocate for paper ballot-based elections. Conducting elections simultaneously might lead to prolonged delays in announcing results, as requested by regional parties.

4. Likelihood of Coordinated Voting:

• According to IDFC, there is a 77% probability that Indian voters will favor the same political party for both state and central governments when elections are held concurrently.
• This trend can be attributed to India's federal structure, where the central government allocates substantial funds to states governed by the same party.

There must be an agreement on whether the country needs one nation, one vote, or not. All political parties should at the very least cooperate in debating this subject; once the debate begins, public opinion can be considered. As a developed democracy, India can then monitor the outcome of the debate.

What do you think? Would you be up for One Nation: One Election?

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