By Poonam I Kaushish
As the 45-days-60 crore people Mahakumbh concludes in Prayagraj and spring arrives in a riot of colourful flowers there is bounce in BJP’s steps post hat-trick victories in Delhi, Maharashtra and Haryana. Rebooted, it is now back to one of Prime Minister Modi’s pet peeve: One Nation One Election (ONOE), an ambitious gargantuan venture with the Law Ministry underscoring simultaneous polls don’t imprint upon citizen’s right nor violates right to vote and contest.
Emphasizing it didn’t violate the Constitution’s basic structure or federalism, would enhance political diversity and inclusivity, bring fresh faces into politics and prevent certain leaders from monopolizing key positions, was its reply to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on ONOE Bill which raised over 20 questions, from real savings — given mid-term polls would require imposition of Model Code of Conduct — to whether irregularities in a polling booth would require re-polls for both Assembly and Parliamentary seats affected.
Buttressing its point by asserting ONOE “entails a more equitable allocation of political opportunities and responsibilities within Parties.” It recalled India’s democratic journey began with simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. However, it was Congress’s Indira Gandhi’s Government dismissing many State Governments that ended synchronised elections 1971. Resulting in many unstable Governments at Centre and States, leading to early dissolution of Lok Sabha or Assemblies.
Questionably are we moving to ONOE? Specially as the country has witnessed over 450 polls to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies till date. And given Law Commission had thrice — 1999, 2015 and 2018 — argued for simultaneous elections to “free citizens, Parties and Government from encumbrance of asynchronous elections. It would reduce massive expenditure incurred in holding polls, underscored by Election Commission pegging cost of holding simultaneous elections at Rs 5,500 crore. If so, would it be advisable in the best national interest?
Prime Minister Modi thinks so and has repeatedly mooted ONOE since 2016. It would give netas and Party workers time to take people-oriented schemes to citizens alongside saving Exchequer and Parties money. While his Party and allies JD(U) TDP etc concur, Congress, Trinamool and Samajwadi call it a “gimmick”, impractical, unworkable, unfeasible and anti-democratic.
Undeniably, simultaneous elections could be economically viable, help avoid disruptions in governance and policy paralysis due to frequent polls as once a Party is elected and Government formed it can get down to work, take hard decisions in public interest and concentrate on delivering good governance without worrying about its impact on vote banks.
Think. Several good initiatives are dumped due to electoral considerations lest it upset a caste, community, religion or region. All, becoming victims of policy shutdown, mismanagement and poor implementation.
Presently, noisy campaigns, wasteful expenditure, rallies, blocking roads continuously disrupts our lives. Resulting in governance not only going for a toss as Prime Minister, Ministers, Chief Ministers campaign for their respective Parties but it wreaks havoc on our body politic — right, left and centre. Week after week, month after month, year after year. A year-long merry-go-round.
Let’s face it. With State after State going to polls every year, running Central and State Governments has become challenging. Amidst this nerve-racking money spewing elections vending machines the solution to India’s chronic Perpetual Election Syndrome (PES) may perhaps lie in the panacea of holding one mega election every five years.
Undoubtedly, it is one way to get rid of incompetence, malfeasance and casual governance. But it is an idea that needs to be debated extensively at all levels. Its pros and cons must be weighted before Parliament approves it. As the change advocated would entail changing the basic structure of the Constitution.
With 15 Parties opposing ONOE the challenge is the procedural details, Government’s disregard of citizens’ right to removing non-performing Governments. Besides, fear it militates against the federal structure of multiple diversities and Constitution’s spirit along-with complex legal procedures for bringing Constitutional amendments which needs to be weighed carefully to allay fears of “infringing federalism.”
Yet, it’s a complicated road ahead and easier said than done. We have just wrapped up three State elections and the Prime Minister has already sounded the bugle for Bihar Assembly poll November followed by Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala next year. Even as the Election Commission states it can hold ONOE in 2029. Hypothetically, it means dissolution of many State Assemblies. Undeniably, no Government, regardless of Party will be on the same page as Centre.
Further, altering duration of local bodies needs States’ ratification. Even State election commissioners may baulk at making EC final arbiter of electoral rolls as it would dilute the federal structure and goes against the idea of ‘Union’ of States.
Some believe it is not advisable to hold simultaneous polls as it could be motivated by political considerations, given when concurrent elections are held voters tend to vote for the same Party. Also, poll issues at Centre and States are different which would create confusion. A Party could be deserving of support at the Centre for its policies and performance at the national level. Yet, the same Party could be deserving of popular punishment and defeat for its policies and performance at the State level.
Also, a fixed term for Lok Sabha and State Legislatures goes against the basic tenets of Parliamentary democracy. Supposedly if a Government enjoying people’s mandate is voted out, it would continue to hold office or be replaced by another Government, which might not necessarily enjoy popular mandate. Also, what happens when a Government is unable to complete its term?
Plainly, a Government which lacks the confidence of the House would be foisted on people, with no say in the matter. Smacking of de facto dictatorship or monarchical anarchy, an idea which translates into unrepresentative governance.
To avoid this EC suggests a no-confidence motion against a Government must come alongside a confidence motion for another Government and Prime Minister and voting for both motions done simultaneously. Ditto in State Assemblies.
True, there are cogent arguments on either side: Development vs accountability? Electoral expenses vs political choices? Governance vs electoral fairness? Given how elections have an almost talismanic power in the country’s democracy the stakes couldn’t be higher.
If ONOE is passed by Parliament India will join an exclusive club of three countries — South Africa, Sweden and Belgium. However, it depends on managing challenges and its scale therein. In Sweden, elections to county and municipal councils take place in tandem with general elections every four years. Ditto in South Africa where concurrent polls are held every five years.
Belgium’s Federal Parliament elections are also held every five years, coinciding with European Parliament elections. A similar system is prevalent in Spain, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Albania, Israel, Lesotho Philippines, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Guatemala and Indonesia. The US model could be considered. The President and State Governors are elected directly for a fixed four-year term and choose their own teams.
Clearly, time for winds of change to blow out India’s Perpetual Election Syndrome as elections are the bedrock of our democracy and we should avoid polls duplication. With States in election mode every year, running the Government is akin to running with the hare and hunting with the hound. India’s democracy should not be reduced to a tu-tu mein-mein between Parties all the time. Modi ONOE can ‘clean’ India’s destructive PES! —- INFA
(Copyright India News & Feature Alliance)
New Delhi
24 February 2025
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