By Farooq Wani

 The proposal of One Nation, One Election (ONOE) refers to the idea of conducting the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament) and State Legislative Assembly elections at the same time across India. Though this issue has been discussed for many years, it has gained considerable attention in recent years, with animated debates about its potential advantages and drawbacks emerging. The stated goal of this proposal is to streamline the electoral process, save costs, and improve governance. However, there are also several concerns and challenges related to implementing ONOE.

Advantages of ONOE

Cost Efficiency: Conducting elections simultaneously across the country would save significant amounts of money that is typically spent on organizing separate elections. The expenses involved in the election process are enormous, including the cost of security, transportation, voting materials, and payment to those performing election duties.

Reduced Election Frequency: In the current system, India sees elections every few months, which means that the government machinery always remains in election mode and this causes delays in administrative decisions and policy implementation due to invocation of model code of conduct prior to every election. With ONOE, elections would be held less frequently, allowing governments to focus more on governance rather than constantly preparing for elections.

Less Disruption in Governance: Elections disrupt daily life as government officials, security forces, and other resources are diverted towards election-related activities. This often leads to a slowdown in public administration and development projects. Holding elections together would minimize these disruptions, ensuring continuous governance and development activities.

Better Use of Resources: Organizing elections requires significant manpower and resources drawn from various government organizations. Holding elections simultaneously across the country can optimize the use of electoral machinery, including the deployment of polling officers, security forces, and other logistics, thereby increasing efficiency.

Stronger Mandate for the Government: Simultaneous elections could lead to a stronger political mandate for the ruling party or coalition. Winning both state and national elections at the same time may enhance the legitimacy of the ruling party’s governance, as they would be seen to have a broader national and state-level support base.

Encouraging National Focus in Elections: Currently, elections for state assemblies and the Lok Sabha are often conducted in isolation, with little national perspective. ONOE could lead to a more holistic focus on national issues, as well as a uniform and coordinated electoral strategy that emphasizes the broad vision for the country.

Political Stability: Simultaneous elections can potentially lead to greater political stability, as it may encourage long-term planning and reduce political fragmentation. With elections occurring less frequently, governments may focus on long-term goals rather than short-term populist measures.

Disadvantages of One Nation, One Election

Complexity in Execution: Implementing ONOE requires significant legal and constitutional changes. The timing of elections would need to be synchronized between the national and state levels, which can be a logistical and constitutional challenge. States where elections are due might have to delay or prepone the same, creating an added layer of complexity.

Voter Fatigue: Simultaneous elections might lead to voter fatigue, especially since voters would be required to cast their votes for a range of candidates and parties at both the state and national levels. This could result in voter confusion, reduced participation, or low voter turnout, particularly among those who are not well-versed in the specifics of both state and national issues.

Impact on Regional Parties: Regional parties may find it difficult to compete effectively in a nationwide election where the national parties dominate the landscape. National parties often have greater resources and visibility, which could marginalize smaller, regional voices. This might lead to the weakening of India’s federal structure, as regional issues may take a backseat to national concerns.

Increased Centralization of Power: There is a risk that ONOE could lead to the centralization of political power. If the national government wins in simultaneous elections, it could overshadow regional governments, potentially weakening the federal structure. This could diminish the autonomy of state governments and undermine regional political representation.

Disruption of Electoral Cycle: In the current system, state and national elections are staggered, which means that some governments are always in the election cycle, thus providing voters with periodic opportunities for accountability. With ONOE, this could lead to extended periods without any electoral accountability for state governments, particularly when state elections coincide with a strong national wave.

Constitutional and Legal Challenges: The Indian Constitution has provisions that make the concept of ONOE difficult to implement. For example, if a state government falls mid-term, there could be complications in synchronizing its elections with the Lok Sabha elections. Amendments would however be required to ensure that mid-term elections and any dissolution of state assemblies align with ONOE principles, which could be politically contentious.

‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Approach: India is a vast country with diverse cultures, languages, and regional issues. Conducting simultaneous elections could result in the overshadowing of regional issues, as national issues tend to dominate the narrative in such a setting. In a federal system like India’s, a balance between national and state issues is crucial, and ONOE could disrupt this balance.

Impact on Voter Behaviour: The simultaneous election of multiple political representatives could lead to strategic voting, where voters may not vote for their preferred candidate but for one that suits their broader electoral preferences. This might dilute the focus on issues of local importance, as national parties may have a greater chance of gaining dominance over regional parties.

Conclusion

The One Nation, One Election idea is a subject of heated debate in India. While it offers several potential benefits like cost savings, political stability, and less frequent election disruptions, it also poses significant challenges, particularly in terms of complexity, legal hurdles, and the potential marginalization of regional voices. For ONOE to be implemented effectively there needs to be careful consideration of the diverse political landscape in India, as well as the constitutional and logistical hurdles that must be overcome. Ultimately, the success of this initiative depends on finding a balance that allows for political efficiency while maintaining India’s federal structure and democratic values.

 The author is Editor Brighter Kashmir, Author, TV commentator, political analyst and columnist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author.

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