News Mania Desk/ Sohom Chatterjee / 19th September 2024
The Union Cabinet on September 18, Wednesday, approved the NDA government proposed ‘One Nation, One Election’ legislation that will ensure the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will be held simultaneously, with urban body and panchayat polls to be held within 100 days.
A High-Level Committee, comprising stakeholders, experts, researchers and led by the former President Ram Nath Kovind, came up with a report of 18,626 pages in March, prior to the Lok Sabha elections, which took over 191 days since the constitution of the High-Level Committee on September 2, 2023. The report highlighted how frequent elections create an atmosphere of uncertainty and impact policy decisions, adding that holding simultaneous elections would bring enhanced certainty in policy making. The committee also enlightened about how intermittent elections had adverse consequences on economic growth, quality of public expenditure, and educational and other outcomes, besides upsetting social harmony.
Then the committee also underlined the advantages of ‘One Nation One Election’ policy that ensures ease and convenience to voters, avoids voters’ fatigue, and facilitates greater voter turnout.
Speaking at a press conference at New Delhi, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “The Union Cabinet has accepted the recommendations by the high-level committee on ‘One Nation, One Election. Cabinet approved the proposal unanimously.”
He also said that the proposal will be implemented in two phases: “In the first phase, Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections will be held and in the second phase, local bodies elections (Gram Panchayat, Block, Zila Panchayat) and urban local bodies (municipality and municipal committees or municipal corporations).”
Elucidating on how this would be discussed across the country, Vaishnaw stated, “Implementation group to be formed to take forward recommendations of Kovind panel on simultaneous polls.”
The Minister also assured that many parties have supported this proposal. “When they interact with high-level meetings, they give their input in a very succinct manner and with a lot of clarity. Our government believes in creating a consensus on items that affect democracy and the nation in the long run. This is a subject, a topic that will strengthen our nation,” the Union Minister said.
