India's ongoing debate about simultaneous elections or the One Nation, One Election concept has gained momentum, with experts like Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, emphasizing its potential to improve governance and policy implementation. The central idea is to hold elections for the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies at the same time, thus streamlining the election process and reducing the disruptions caused by frequent electoral cycles.
Simultaneous elections refer to the process where the Lok Sabha elections (for the central government) and State Legislative Assembly elections are conducted together. This approach doesn't necessarily mean that all elections will take place on the same day, as elections can be held in phases but within a unified cycle.
In the past, Lok Sabha and State elections were conducted together, between 1952–1967. However, due to premature dissolutions of Parliament and State Assemblies, this synchronized cycle was disrupted, leading to staggered elections thereafter.
Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024:
Article 82A: Empowers the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
Article 83: States that if the Lok Sabha is dissolved before completing its full term, the next Lok Sabha will only serve the unexpired portion of the term.
Article 172: Similar amendments are proposed for State Assemblies.
Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024:
Aligns the tenure of Union Territories’ Legislative Assemblies with the Lok Sabha to synchronize their electoral cycles.
Both bills have been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for detailed examination.
A committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind proposed a phased approach for implementing simultaneous elections:
Stage 1: Synchronize Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.
Stage 2: Align municipal and panchayat elections within 100 days after the synchronization.
The committee also recommended a single electoral roll and a photo ID system for smooth election conduct.
Promotes Consistency in Governance:
Elections are often seen as distractions from policy-making. Holding elections simultaneously would shift the government's focus from campaigning to governance, ensuring that national and state development activities are prioritized.
It would reduce the financial burden of conducting multiple elections, freeing up resources for economic growth.
Prevents Policy Paralysis:
Multiple election cycles often disrupt policy implementation, as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) inhibits government actions during election periods. Simultaneous elections would allow uninterrupted governance, enabling long-term policy continuity.
Resource Diversion:
Elections require significant resources—polling officials, security personnel, and civil servants. Simultaneous elections would reduce the repeated deployment of resources, allowing better allocation of manpower and resources for core government activities.
Political Opportunities:
By aligning elections, the system could offer opportunities for new leaders to emerge at all levels. It would also foster a more inclusive political system, potentially reducing the dominance of national parties in favor of regional representation.
Logistical Burden:
Managing 96 crore voters, 1 million polling booths, and over a million polling officials presents a massive logistical challenge. Ensuring security, updating electoral rolls, and running voter education campaigns simultaneously across all states would require significant coordination.
Technological Infrastructure:
For simultaneous elections, India would need an even larger number of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs). The existing infrastructure would need significant upgrading to handle such an extensive operation.
Federal Concerns:
Aligning the terms of State Assemblies with the Lok Sabha could dilute the federal spirit of the Constitution, as some states may feel their autonomy is compromised, especially if their terms are cut short or extended for synchronization.
Accountability:
Fewer election cycles could mean less frequent public scrutiny of the government’s performance, potentially weakening democratic accountability.
Regional Disparities:
Smaller states and regional parties might fear being sidelined during national elections, where issues of national importance and larger political parties could overshadow local concerns.
Constitutional Amendments:
Constitutional amendments to Articles 83, 85, 172, and 174 would be required, alongside changes to Article 356 to handle situations like the President’s Rule.
Simultaneous elections are not a novel idea in the global context. Several countries, such as South Africa and Sweden, have adopted synchronized election cycles, demonstrating both the challenges and benefits of such an approach.
In South Africa, national and provincial elections are held simultaneously every five years.
Municipal elections occur separately, but two years after the national and provincial elections.
This arrangement allows for cost-saving and greater political stability, ensuring that elections do not disrupt governance frequently.
In Sweden, elections for the National Legislature (Riksdag) and local bodies (Municipal Assemblies) are held on a fixed date.
This model ensures coordination and streamlined election management, which reduces the cost and time taken to conduct elections.
Both examples demonstrate how synchronization of elections at different levels can ensure political stability while reducing logistical challenges and costs.
The Law Commission of India in its 2018 report provided a comprehensive framework for restoring simultaneous elections in India, offering several key recommendations:
To enable simultaneous elections, certain amendments to the Indian Constitution and related legislation would be required. Specifically:
Articles 83, 85, 172, 174, and 356 need to be amended:
Article 83 (Duration of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies).
Article 85 (Sessions of Parliament and dissolution).
Article 172 (Duration of State Legislatures).
Article 174 (Sessions of State Legislatures).
Article 356 (President’s Rule) needs modification to address situations like premature dissolutions during synchronized election periods.
Amendments to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, would be required to synchronize the timing of elections for both the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
The rules of procedure in both the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies will need to be amended to accommodate changes related to no-confidence motions and the procedures for holding simultaneous elections.
Constructive Vote of No-confidence: The Law Commission recommended replacing the regular no-confidence motion with a constructive vote of no-confidence. This would avoid a hung assembly situation and ensure greater stability in governance.
The Anti-Defection Law may be diluted to prevent stalemates in case of a hung assembly or Parliament, which could hinder the formation of a stable government.
The six-month timeline for issuing the notification for general elections could be extended for a one-time measure to provide flexibility in organizing simultaneous elections.
Pilot projects in select states could help assess the feasibility of simultaneous elections and provide valuable data on logistical challenges, voter behavior, and cost implications.
These projects could test systems like electoral rolls, EVMs, and security arrangements on a smaller scale, making the transition smoother when extended to all states.
If the pilot projects succeed, the government could begin the process of amending the Constitution to allow simultaneous elections across the nation, aligning terms for both Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
Managing the increased cost of conducting simultaneous elections could require financial reforms:
Establish a separate election fund to streamline the allocation of resources.
Implement measures to promote transparency in political funding, ensuring that the electoral process remains fair and free from undue influence.
One of the major criticisms of frequent elections is the lack of focus on governance. If elections are held less frequently, political parties can dedicate more time to policy implementation rather than preparing for the next electoral cycle.
Strict rules should be set to ensure elected representatives prioritize governance during their term, instead of shifting their focus to campaigns.
The government should launch extensive public awareness campaigns to educate citizens on the benefits of simultaneous elections, including:
Reduced campaign expenditure.
Less disruption in governance.
Lower voter fatigue, ensuring higher voter turnout.
Achieving a political consensus among various parties is essential to ensure the successful implementation of simultaneous elections. This will require cross-party dialogues and mutual cooperation, as political interests may vary.
A consensus is especially important regarding issues like regional representation, duration of terms, and the timing of elections.
Staggered terms for state legislatures could be an effective solution to address regional variations. This would prevent all states from going to the polls at once, ensuring that the process remains manageable and efficient.
Such an arrangement could also prevent regional imbalances and provide a more balanced representation across the country
Legal Clarity:
Establish clear procedures and a definitive timeline for aligning elections, ensuring that the legal framework is robust enough to handle complex situations like premature dissolutions and by-elections.
Strengthen Electoral Infrastructure:
Create a unified electoral roll that is shared across all levels of elections, improving voter verification, result management, and logistical coordination.
Public Awareness Campaigns:
Conduct nationwide awareness drives to educate the public on the benefits of simultaneous elections, countering concerns and building support for the process.
Capacity Building:
Train election officials and improve their technological and administrative capabilities to handle simultaneous elections efficiently.
Adjust Election Timings:
Shift state elections in a way that aligns with the Lok Sabha electoral cycle, ensuring synchronization without causing disruptions.
The concept of simultaneous elections could represent a transformative shift in India’s electoral and governance framework. By aligning elections at multiple levels, the country could reduce the administrative burden, enhance governance efficiency, and promote long-term policy continuity. However, its successful implementation requires political consensus, constitutional amendments, and significant logistical preparedness.
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