One Nation, One Election. This is the term that has been brought up time and again, especially during the elections. Let us talk about the same. So, what is One Nation and One Election? In simple terms, it means all Indians will vote in Lok Sabha and assembly elections to pick central and state representatives in the same year, if not the same time.
Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that if the NDA is elected again to govern, it will implement One Nation, One Election policy in the next five years. At present, there are a few that vote for a new state government at the same time as the country selects a union government.
These few are Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha who are scheduled to vote at the same time as the April male Lok Sabha election. Several follow a non -sinked five -year cycle. Several states follow a non -sinked five -year cycle such as Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, etc. Several experts say that the theory of One Nation and One Election cannot work without an amendment to the constitution and the amendment should be ratified by the governments of all states and union territories as well as possibly major political parties. So, let’s discuss, where did the theory go? theme of One Nation and One Election came into being. Recently a committee led by former Prime Minister Ram Nath Kovant submitted a report on government’s One Nation One Election push.
The One Nation One election theory has been taking the rounds in the news for a long time. Nine years ago, the Election Commission of India submitted a feasibility report on the One Nation One Election idea in which it suggested that no confidence motions include nomination of a new Chief Minister or Prime Minister to take over should the incumbent lose.
The new leader must then immediately face a test and in the case of any early dissolution, only a short term election to lose a government for the remainder of the term should be conducted. Recently a committee led by former President Ramnath Kovind submitted a report on government’s one -nation -one election push which proposes simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls. The panel set in September has since studied best practices for from other countries, consulted 39 political parties, economists and the Election Commission of India. It says that it backs the idea of one Nation and one election but calls for a legally sustainable mechanism that can break and realign existing electoral cycles. Let us now discuss to the challenges to one Nation, one election.
The major challenge arises for sinking electoral cycles with minimum disruption to the government and ensuring that all political parties are on board. There is still no clarity on how to deal with breaks due to dissolution of houses, president’s rules or even a hunger-seemly or parliament. Regional parties have also pointed out their limited resources. This means that they may not be able to spotlight local issues to voters as effectively as they might in the face of better funded parties trying to grab attention from the Lok Sabha elections.
