India
-Gaurav Sharma
The
‘One
Nation,
One
Election’
Bill
is
set
to
be
introduced
in
the
Lok
Sabha
by
Law
Minister
Arjun
Meghwal
on
Tuesday.
Initially,
the
bill
was
scheduled
for
discussion
on
December
16.
Copies
of
the
bill
have
already
been
distributed
to
Members
of
Parliament
for
review.
The
winter
session
of
Parliament
concludes
on
December
20,
leaving
limited
time
for
its
introduction
if
not
presented
on
December
16.
The
Union
Cabinet
approved
the
‘One
Nation,
One
Election’
Bill
on
December
12,
with
plans
to
present
it
during
the
ongoing
Winter
Session.
The
Bharatiya
Janata
Party
(BJP)
has
praised
this
initiative
as
“historic,” highlighting
its
potential
to
reduce
costs
and
improve
governance.
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
has
often
advocated
for
simultaneous
elections,
emphasizing
their
necessity.

Opposition
Concerns
Over
Federal
Structure
Opposition
parties,
including
the
Trinamool
Congress,
have
voiced
concerns
about
this
proposal.
They
argue
that
it
might
disrupt
India’s
federal
structure,
weaken
regional
parties,
and
centralize
power.
Despite
these
concerns,
the
BJP
maintains
that
simultaneous
elections
will
streamline
governance
and
cut
election
expenses.
Currently,
Cabinet
approval
is
limited
to
synchronizing
Lok
Sabha
and
legislative
assembly
elections.
Elections
for
municipalities
and
panchayats
are
excluded
“for
now,”
although
a
high-level
committee
led
by
former
President
Ram
Nath
Kovind
recommended
their
phased
inclusion.
Historical
Context
of
Simultaneous
Elections
The
concept
of
‘One
Nation,
One
Election’ isn’t
new
in
India.
From
1951
to
1967,
Lok
Sabha
and
state
assembly
elections
were
held
together
every
five
years
following
the
adoption
of
the
Constitution
in
1950.
This
practice
ended
due
to
state
reorganizations
and
legislative
assembly
dissolutions
between
1968-1969.
Critics
question
the
feasibility
of
conducting
simultaneous
polls
across
India’s
vast
and
diverse
regions.
They
argue
that
logistical
challenges
could
arise
from
such
a
large-scale
electoral
process.
The
BJP
defends
this
idea
as
a
way
to
enhance
governance
efficiency
while
reducing
election-related
costs.
However,
debates
continue
over
its
practicality
and
potential
impact
on
India’s
political
landscape.