One Nation, One Election Bill: Transforming India’s Polling System

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] December 12 : The ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, is anticipated at aligning Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, will be introduced in the Winter Session of Parliament. The Union Cabinet approved the legislation highlighting the significance on the government’s agenda on Thursday. Once submitted, the bill will be referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee for a detailed review.  

High-Powered Panel and September Milestone

As per the report submitted in September, a powerful committee led by fomer President Ram Nath Kovind recommending concurrent Lok Sabha and state assembly elections as the initial phase. The bill, approved by the Union Cabinet, also calls for local body elections to be held simultaneously within 100 days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the initiative, stating, "The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections."

"I complement our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative," PM Modi also shared on X.

 Former President Demands for Consensus on the Initiative

Ram Nath Kovind, the former president, highlighted the need for national agreement on this initiative, emphasizing the importance beyond political interests. “The Central government will have to build consensus. This issue is not in the interest of any party but the nation. It (One Nation, One Election) will be a game-changer--it's not my opinion but that of economists, who believe that after its implementation, the country's GDP will rise by 1-1.5 per cent,” he noted.

Union Minister Draws Attention to Election-Related Issues

Citing the inefficiencies of regular elections, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan supported the move. He pointed out that elections disrupt goverence, interrupt progress, and waste resources.

“I am an agriculture minister, but during the elections, I spent three months campaigning. It wastes the time of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, Ministers, MPs, MLAs, officers, and employees. All development work comes to a standstill. Then, new announcements have to be made,” he said, the disruption caused to administrative and development efforts.

 Game-Changer for India’s Democracy

The aim of the proposed shift to simultaneous elections is to improve participatory government, reduce resource wastage, and streamline electoral processes. The 'One Nation, One Election' bill, which has broad support from both economists and policymakers, has the ability to profoundly shape India’s democratic future.

 By Manasa Permulla