With One Nation One Election, getting India back in sync

Context:

• The High-Level Committee on “One nation One election” suggested conducting simultaneous parliamentary and state legislative assembly elections.

Benefits of simultaneous elections:

• Leads to significant savings on administrative expenditure.
• Enable efficient utilization of manpower, including election officials and security personnel.
• Public life experiences less disruption
• Governance receives long-term focus, reducing obstruction to developmental programs.
• Political leaders can prioritize governance, enhancing public accountability over electioneering.

Conclusion:

• Discontinuation of simultaneous elections since 1967 was due to arbitrary use of Article 356 to topple elected governments.
• Successive governments lacked the political will to restore simultaneous elections.
• Simultaneous elections are crucial for democratic, economic, and political progress.
• Efforts towards holding simultaneous elections are hoped to yield positive results for India’s greater benefit.

Source: Indian Express