The Narendra Modi-led NDA government is likely to introduce the highly contentious ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill during a special session of the Parliament scheduled between September 18 to 22. The ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill has been on the BJP government’s agenda since Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister. The idea of simultaneous elections has been a subject of intense debate since its inception and many parties have opposed the idea. Though the government has not made the legislative agenda of the Parliament session clear, there is speculation that this Bill is on the cards. Passing the Bill will require a constitutional amendment.
For a constitutional amendment - the Parliament needs to pass the Bill with two-third majority – which is 67% of the 543 seats in Lok Sabha, and 67% of the 245 seats in Rajya Sabha. In addition, the Bill will need to be ratified by not less than half of the state legislatures in the country- that's 14 states. The BJP is in power in 10 states and is in a coalition government in six states. The NDA has 333 seats in Lok Sabha - that's around 61%, and it may not be difficult for them to make up the remaining 5%. In Rajya Sabha though, they have only about 38% of the seats.
The concept proposes concurrent elections for the Parliament and the state assemblies. This means people will vote for their state governments and also for the Union government on the same day. The BJP has been pushing for the idea, claiming it will help in better administration, easier conduct of elections and will save the exchequer large amounts of money. India held simultaneous elections till 1963. However after certain state assemblies were dissolved, it also became impractical to go ahead with it.
It is estimated that the Union government spent Rs 10,000 crore to conduct the 2019 Lok Sabha polls while states spend anything between Rs 250-500 crore per state election. Though the calculation is that this money can be saved, detractors point out that the number of EVMs purchased would have to be much higher.
Several parties, particularly regional, have expressed strong opposition to the proposal. The AAP has called it undemocratic and most parties in the INDIA alliance have already expressed their disapproval. Many have called it against the federal system and worry that issues related to states might get subsumed when elections are held together. Voters who may vote on regional issues for Assembly elections and national issues for Parliamentary elections could get confused.
National parties could also get an undue advantage, pushing regional parties to the sidelines. Also, if the Union government falls, the question of what will happen to the state Assemblies come up. Similarly, if the President's rule is imposed in a state then what happens to simultaneous elections?
Having elections for both Parliament And the state assemblies will reduce the accountability of our elected representatives as they will be required to give proof of their performance just once in five years.
The BRS, YSRCP, AIADMK, the Biju Janata Dal, JD(U) have backed the one nation, one election proposal in the past, while parties including the Congress, the DMK, JD(S), AAP, Trinamool Congress, CPI and CPI(M) have opposed the idea. The TDP had in 2018 called one nation, one election a good idea but not practical.
Reacting about the development, Congress MP Manickam Tagore told the media this is yet another ‘jumla’ by the Modi government to divert the attention from the Adani scam and it is a diversionary tactic adopted by the Union government to divert the attention from real issues.
Watch our video explainer on what One Nation One Election Bill is