Iqball Ahmad
In a historic development seen as a significant move towards ‘One Nation, One Election,’ the Government of India has constituted an 8-member committee to examine the feasibility and implications of synchronizing all elections in the country.
Former President Ram Nath Kovind has been appointed as the Chairman of the committee, with Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former Rajya Sabha member Ghulam Nabi Azad, and others serving as committee members.
Experts are praising PM Modi’s initiative
Experts are praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for taking this historic initiative, which aims to save financial resources and strengthen India’s democracy by consolidating all elections on a single day.
The committee’s mandate is to investigate the practicality of synchronizing Lok Sabha (the lower house of India’s Parliament) and all state assembly elections, as was the practice until 1967, and to devise a mechanism to facilitate this simultaneous conduct.
Lofty objectives
One of the primary motivations behind the ‘One Nation, One Election’ concept is to allow the government to focus more on governance rather than being in a constant election mode, which often hampers policy implementation. The financial burden of frequent election cycles has been cited as a significant factor, with estimates reaching up to Rs 60,000 crore, including spending by parties and candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
However, it’s essential to note that implementing ‘One Nation, One Election’ would require amendments to the Constitution and other legal frameworks. This concept necessitates a constitutional amendment followed by approval from state assemblies, as was attempted four times in the 1950s and 60s.
Greater focus on governance
Despite the challenges, this move towards ‘One Nation, One Election’ is viewed positively by many, as it has the potential to make India a more prosperous country by saving valuable resources and allowing governments to focus on governance for extended periods.
The Chairman of the committee, former President Ram Nath Kovind, is a distinguished personality with a rich political and legal background. He served as the 14th President of India from 2017 to 2022 and was the first person from Uttar Pradesh to hold this position. Before entering politics, Kovind practiced law for 16 years in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India.
In summary, the formation of this committee marks a significant step towards the realization of ‘One Nation, One Election’ in India, a move that has garnered widespread appreciation and anticipation for a more streamlined and effective democratic process in the country.
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