The debate on ‘One Nation, One Election’ has been going on for a long time, know what arguments are given on its disadvantages and advantages.
‘एक देश-एक चुनाव’ का मतलब क्या? जानें नुकसान और फायदे
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi informed about calling a special session of Parliament on Thursday, 31 August. He told on X that a special session of Parliament is being called from 18 to 22 September, in which there will be 5 sittings. Prahlad Joshi wrote that meaningful discussion and debate is expected in the Special Session of Parliament. By the evening of the same day, another news came quoting sources. According to sources, in the special session of the Parliament, the government can bring the bill of ‘one country, one election’.
There has been a long-standing debate on the issue of ‘one country, one election’, that is, elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies should be held simultaneously. Many arguments are given in support and against it. The opinion of political parties is divided on this issue. First of all, let us understand that what opinion has been given on ‘One Nation, One Election’.
Benefits of ‘One Nation, One Election’, development will happen without hindrance!
Wherever elections are held in the country, a model code of conduct is implemented. It means that after the notification of the election, the government cannot announce any project, start new schemes or give financial approval and make any appointment. Due to one or the other elections being held continuously, the model code of conduct is implemented in the country again and again. It is said that because of this the government is unable to take necessary policy decisions and there is a problem in implementing many schemes. This affects the work of development. That is why it is said that if elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies are held in the country in one go, then the model code of conduct will remain in force for some time. After this the development works can be done without any hindrance.
Saving money, resources and time!
In favor of one country, one election, it is said that this will reduce the huge expenditure on repeated elections. Due to repeated elections, there is an economic burden on the government exchequer. The services of teachers and government employees are taken for conducting elections in the country. A large number of police and security forces are deployed. If all the elections are held simultaneously, there will be no need to put government employees and security forces on election duty again and again. This will save their time and they will be able to do their duty properly.
Disadvantages of ‘One Nation, One Election’
Some people call one country, one election contrary to the federal structure of the country and a fatal step for parliamentary democracy. It is said that this will increase or reduce their tenure against the will of some legislatures, which can affect the autonomy of the states.
Fear of regional issues being ignored!
Some people believe that if elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies are held simultaneously, then regional issues can be affected in front of national issues. It is also said that simultaneous elections can harm regional parties. The reason given is that with this voters will be more likely to vote in one direction, due to which the dominant party in the central government can benefit more.
Public accountability at risk!
It is also said that due to elections being held at different times, the people’s representatives have to remain accountable continuously. No party or leader can work autocratically after winning an election. Due to facing one election or the other, the accountability of political parties remains constant. It is said that if Lok Sabha and all assembly elections are held simultaneously, it will increase the possibility of autocracy.
It is difficult to conduct elections together.
Even citing India’s large population and the resources required for elections, conducting simultaneous elections is said to be challenging. It is said that if the elections are held together, there may be a delay in the coming of the results, due to which there will be a possibility of political instability.
Why does the Modi government want this?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been insisting on holding the elections to the Lok Sabha and all the Vidhan Sabhas together. Modi has said many times that if elections to the Lok Sabha and all the Assemblies are held simultaneously, it will save money and time.
In this way BJP and Modi government have been supporting the proposal of holding elections together. At the same time, many opposition parties have been against it. According to a report in The Hindu in January this year, AAP leader Atishi termed simultaneous elections as an attack on the basic structure of the Constitution. He had said,
“The most dangerous thing is that if no one gets the majority (in case of one nation, one election), then how will the chief minister be elected? Without anti-defection laws, a Chief Minister would be elected, just like a Speaker’s election. This means that MLAs of any party can vote for any party. One Nation, One Election is a front to legitimize ‘Operation Lotus’ and legalize horse-trading.
Let us inform that for the first time after independence, elections were held in the country in 1951-52. Then the Lok Sabha elections and assembly elections in all the states were held simultaneously. After this elections were held simultaneously in 1957, 1962 and 1967, but then this process was broken.