The committee led by former president Ram Nath Kovind endorses synchronised national and state polls
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – The Union Cabinet has approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, paving the way for synchronised elections across the country. The committee, chaired by former president Ram Nath Kovind, examined the feasibility of the initiative and after extensive consultations, submitted its report. The report was approved by the Cabinet, marking a major step towards reforming the country’s electoral system.
The committee sought feedback from 62 political parties, with 47 providing their views. Of these, 32 parties supported the idea of holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, while 15 parties opposed it. According to the report, 15 parties did not respond despite being approached.
While four of the six national parties, including Congress, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), voiced strong objections, other major state-level parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Sharad Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) did not provide any response.
The BJP has championed the idea, arguing that a unified electoral system is crucial for economic, administrative, and democratic efficiency. A party spokesperson said the move is in the nation’s interest as it reduces the frequent election cycles “which hinder long-term policy planning and economic progress.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, also made a strong pitch for ‘One Nation, One Election’. He emphasised that frequent elections disrupt the country’s development and called upon all political parties to rally behind this cause. “We must work together for the nation’s progress, with the Red Fort and the national tricolour as witnesses,” Modi said, reiterating the urgency of adopting this system.
The concept of ‘One Nation, One Election’ was also a key promise in the BJP’s recent election manifesto, further strengthening the party’s commitment to the idea.
However, the opposition remains divided. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his disapproval in a letter to the committee’s secretary, Nitin Chandra, arguing that the proposal undermines India’s parliamentary system. “The concept of simultaneous elections is against the basic structure of our Constitution,” Kharge stated. He also cautioned that implementing such a system would require substantial constitutional amendments, which may be disruptive.
Despite the pushback, the government’s approval of the proposal signals a potential shift in India’s electoral landscape, though it remains to be seen how the proposal will fare in Parliament. The debate over ‘One Nation, One Election’ is set to intensify as political parties prepare for the next step in this significant electoral reform.
