What is 'one nation, one election'? How it will change the way the polls are conducted in India
What's 'One Nation, One Election'
The concept revolves around conducting simultaneous elections for both Lok Sabha and State Assemblies throughout the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a long-time advocate of this idea.
Currently, elections for state assemblies and the Lok Sabha take place independently, either upon the completion of a five-year term for the existing government or in the case of dissolution due to various reasons.
Benefits of Simultaneous Elections Supporters argue that holding joint polls can save significant expenses, enhance administrative efficiency, and potentially lead to higher voter turnout.
According to certain reports, an astonishing amount of around Rs 60,000 crore was utilized during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This total includes costs borne by political parties participating in the electoral process and the Election Commission of India's expenses in orchestrating the elections. Additionally, substantial and evident costs are linked to the repeated deployment and transfer of security personnel. Due to election duties and associated labor, the regular responsibilities of the government machinery are neglected during each election. These numerous man-hours are not factored into the election budget.
History of Simultaneous Elections The concept of simultaneous elections dates back to the first general elections in 1951-52, which coincided with all Vidhan Sabha polls. This practice continued until 1967 when hung assemblies disrupted the trend. The subsequent years
