Narendra Modi government greenlights ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal

New Delhi, Sept 18: The Narendra Modi government today approved the panel report on ‘One Nation, One Election’ led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. A bill to implement simultaneous elections is expected to be introduced during the upcoming Winter session of Parliament.

This decision follows the presentation of the high-level panel’s findings to the Union Cabinet. The ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative aims to synchronize Parliamentary and Assembly elections, a proposal that has been part of the Modi government's 100-day agenda.

Prime Minister Modi has frequently emphasized the need for unified elections, arguing that the country incurs significant costs and disruptions due to ongoing electoral cycles.

The report, submitted by Kovind's committee in March, advocates for a unified electoral roll and voter ID system managed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in collaboration with state election authorities. The panel believes that simultaneous elections would conserve resources, eliminate procedural barriers, and align with the aspirations of a unified nation.

Despite this, the Opposition, including parties like Congress and AAP, has expressed strong reservations about the ‘one nation, one election’ concept. They argue that this approach could undermine the existing parliamentary system and potentially lead to a shift toward a presidential form of governance.

The concept of synchronized elections has been debated since the 1980s.