"एक राष्ट्र, एक चुनाव": मोदी कैबिनेट ने एक साथ चुनाव कराने की योजना को मंजूरी दी।

"One nation, one election": Modi Cabinet approves plan for simultaneous voting.

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for simultaneous elections nationwide, coordinating polls for both the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday. He stated that the decision was made unanimously. This follows months of discussions and the submission of a report by a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind regarding the 'one nation, one election' initiative.

The report, presented to the Cabinet on Wednesday, outlines a detailed plan for implementing simultaneous elections. The committee recommended starting with concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, followed by synchronized local body elections within a 100-day timeframe. This proposal aims to streamline India's electoral process by minimizing the frequency of elections, which are currently staggered over several years across different levels of government. It is also viewed as a cost-saving measure that could significantly lessen the financial and administrative burden of frequent elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a strong advocate for the 'one nation, one election' initiative, emphasizing during his Independence Day address earlier this year the disruptions caused by frequent elections, which he believes hinder the nation's progress.

“Frequent elections create obstacles to national advancement. It has become easy to associate any scheme or initiative with elections, as there are polls somewhere every three to six months. Every effort is tied to elections,” Modi stated during his address from the Red Fort after hoisting the national flag for the 11th time on Independence Day. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also included this policy as a key promise in its manifesto for the 2024 general elections. While many within the BJP support the proposal, the reaction from other political parties remains to be seen.

Congress Party President Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed opposition, stating, “We do not support this. One Nation, One Election cannot function in a democracy. Elections must be held as needed for our democracy to thrive.”

The panel recommended 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not require state Assembly ratification; however, certain constitutional amendment bills will need to be passed by Parliament. Proposed changes regarding a unified electoral roll and a single voter ID card would require ratification from at least half of the states.

News Reference