One Nation One Election: One country, one election has always been a big agenda for BJP, now the challenge is to implement it

New Delhi: It was not surprising that the NDA government led by Narendra Modi took a decisive initiative towards one country, one election at the beginning of its third term. In fact, the central government has prepared the background for this even before the general elections. The real challenge is about its implementation. Although the BJP is claiming that not only all the NDA parties but most of the opposition parties are with this campaign, but questions will arise when the government led by these parties will have to take a decision. If this decision is implemented, then in the next few years the term of some assemblies will be reduced and in some places President’s rule may have to be imposed after the term ends. At the same time, the government can make a political assessment by bringing a bill in the winter session. However, the government has indicated that the cabinet has accepted only the committee’s recommendation. There will be an intense round of brainstorming before moving forward decisively on this. Discussions with all the concerned parties will begin afresh.

Concern of opposition, especially regional parties
The opposition and regional parties have their own concerns. The strength of regional parties is regional issues and local connect. If Lok Sabha and assembly elections are held together, then it will be limited to the influence of the national scenario which can reduce the strength of regional parties. Statistics also testify to this. If we look from 1952 till now, as the elections started being held separately, the strength of regional parties started increasing. Till the 60s, all Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the country were held together and at that time there was a Congress government from the center to the state. On the basis of these arguments, most parties, especially regional parties, seem to be against this proposal. It is not that all regional parties are against it. Parties like JDU, BJD-YSR do not consider it an issue.

Lal Krishna Advani started the campaign
BJP has been in favour of holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections together from the beginning. Party’s veteran leader Lal Krishna Advani has been one of its biggest supporters and he/she was the first to take the initiative to build a consensus on this. This is also included in the electoral reforms mentioned in BJP’s manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The argument given for holding simultaneous elections is saving money and machinery.

The committee was formed on last 7th September
Just before the general elections, the central government had issued an order to form a committee for one country one election. Former President Ram Nath Kovind was made the chairman of the committee and 7 members were also made. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also among the members. The committee was asked to examine the issue of holding simultaneous elections in the country and make recommendations. Other members included the then leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, former leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former chairman of the 15th Finance Commission NK Singh, former Secretary General of the Lok Sabha Subhash C Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari. Later Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary refused to become a member.

The committee submitted its 18625 page report in March
The committee had presented its report in the middle of the general elections and left it for the next government to take further decision. The report said that out of 47 political parties, 32 had supported holding simultaneous elections. A total of 21558 citizens responded and 80 percent supported holding simultaneous elections. The committee had said that in the first phase, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections should be held simultaneously. And after that, in the second phase, Nagar Palika and Panchayat elections should also be held along with Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. Municipal and Panchayat elections should be held in such a way that they can be held within 100 days of Lok Sabha elections. For this, a way of amending Article 324 of the Constitution was suggested. It has also been said in the recommendation that Article 325 also needs amendment so that there is a single voter list and a single photo identity card for Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and Municipal elections.

An important recommendation of the committee is that in case of a hung House, no-confidence motion or any situation in which fresh elections are required, the term of the new Lok Sabha will be for the remaining term of the previous Lok Sabha and the House will be dissolved after the specified date. Similarly, if a situation arises for fresh elections in the Legislative Assembly, the term of the new Legislative Assembly will be for the full term of the Lok Sabha.

Answers to some questions
1. If simultaneous elections are held in 2029, what will happen to those whose term is not completed?
Answer: If Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are held together in 2029, then it clearly means that whichever Assembly is in power during the 2029 general elections will be dissolved, whether the term of that Assembly is two years or three years left or not.

2. Even if simultaneous elections are held in 2029, will the tenure be fixed after that?
Answer: If the process of simultaneous elections starts in 2029 and thereafter, then if Lok Sabha or Vidhansabha is dissolved in between for any reason, then the tenure of Lok Sabha and Vidhansabha formed after the elections held in between the five-year terms will be for the same number of days as the full term of the previous Lok Sabha is scheduled.

There is also a political message behind the decision
For BJP, one country, one election has been the biggest political agenda from the beginning. At the beginning of the third term, the NDA government led by Narendra Modi wants to give a message by implementing it that neither its strength has diminished nor it is retreating from its stand. After BJP got 240 seats in the general elections, questions were being raised on the credibility of the new government. Immediately after achieving a big victory in 2019, the central government removed Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and apart from this, took big initiatives like Citizenship Amendment Act and Farmers Bill. Now in the third term, by taking initiative towards one country, one election, the central government wants to give a message of continuity.