The central cabinet has taken a sensational decision. The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the Jamili elections to hold the Parliament and Assembly elections simultaneously across the country. Cabinet has given green signal to One Nation.. One Election.
Former President Ram Nath Kovind’s Committee has been set up by the Central Government for the proposal of One Nation, One Election. A committee consisting of 8 members was formed. In this, the former President discussed with the members of the committee the possibility of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and local bodies. The committee examined the views of all the parties and the challenges of the states regarding the elections. After a long discussion, the Union Cabinet gave its stamp of approval based on the report given by the Ramnath Kovind Committee.
The idea of ’One Nation, One Election’ was first proposed in the 1980s. The Law Commission headed by Justice BP Jeevan Reddy in its 170th report in May 1999 opined that elections should be held simultaneously for the Lok Sabha as well as all the state legislatures. It is against this backdrop that the former President Ram Nath Kovind Committee was formed by the Central Government. The High Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections submitted its extensive 18,626-page report to President Draupadi Murmu in March 2024.
Notably, the committee, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, held comprehensive consultations to collect the views of various people from the political and social spheres. According to the report, 47 political parties shared their views. 32 parties supported the concept of simultaneous elections. In addition, a public notice published in newspapers received 21,558 responses from citizens. 80% of them were in favor of the proposal.
Legal experts including four former Chief Justices, twelve former Chief Justices from major High Courts and four former Chief Election Commissioners also expressed their views. The views of the Election Commission of India were also taken into consideration in these discussions. Top business bodies like Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) along with leading economists were consulted for consideration. Economic Effects of Asynchronous Elections. These organizations have made it clear that erratic elections can lead to inflationary pressures, slow economic growth, disrupt public spending and social harmony.
