One Nation, One Election: What it means for national politics and voters, what are advantages & challanges?
The announcement comes a day after the government scheduled a special session of Parliament from September 18 to 22. There are rumuors that government is plannig to introduce a bill for unified elections.
Assembly elections are scheduled for five states in November-December, followed by Lok Sabha elections in May-June of following year.
What's 'One Nation, One Election'
The concept of 'One Nation, One Election' centers around the idea of conducting simultaneous elections throughout the country for both Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. This means holding elections for both the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies simultaneously, with voting likely taking place concurrently.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has long advocated for simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.
Could special Parliament session see introduction of 'One Nation, One Election' Bill?
At present, elections for state assemblies and the Lok Sabha occur separately – either at the end of a five-year term for the incumbent government or in the event of dissolution due to various factors.
What are the Benefits of Holding Simultaneous Elections
A primary argument for holding joint polls is that it can save considerable amount of money spent on conduction separate polls of state assemblies and Lok Sabha. As per some reports, a staggering sum of approximately Rs 60,000 crore was spent during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This figure encompasses expenses incurred by political parties engaged in the electoral process and the Election Commission of India's costs in organizing the elections.
Administrative expenses: There are also significant and obvious expenditures associated with repeatedly deploying and transferring security officers.
