The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for simultaneous elections across the country, aligning polls for both the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday.
Vaishnaw said the report was approved unanimously.
The decision follows months of deliberation and comes after a high-level committee, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, submitted its report on the ‘one nation, one election’ plan.
The report, which was presented before the Cabinet on Wednesday, lays out a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of simultaneous elections. The panel had recommended conducting concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies as the first phase, to be followed by synchronised local body polls within a 100-day period.
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The proposal aims to streamline India’s electoral process by reducing the frequency of elections, which are currently staggered over multiple years at different levels of governance. It is also seen as a cost-saving measure, with the potential to significantly reduce the financial and administrative burden of frequent elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a strong proponent of the ‘one nation, one election’ initiative. During his Independence Day address earlier this year, Modi had called for an end to the “disruption” caused by frequent elections, which he argued were hindering the country’s progress.
“Frequent elections are creating hurdles in the progress of the nation. It has become easy to link any scheme or initiative with elections. There are elections somewhere every three to six months. Every work is linked to elections,” Modi said in his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort after unfurling the national flag for the 11th time on Independence Day.
Also Read | ‘One nation, one election’ plan on agenda for current term of NDA
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had also listed the policy as a key commitment in its manifesto for the 2024 general elections. While the proposal has drawn support from many within the BJP, it remains to be seen how other political parties will respond.
Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge opposed the plan, saying, “We don’t stand with this. One Nation One Election cannot work in a democracy. Elections need to be held as and when required if we want our democracy to survive.”
The panel recommended as many as 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by state Assemblies. However, these would require certain constitutional amendment Bills that would need to be passed by Parliament.
Some proposed changes regarding the single electoral roll and single voter ID card would need ratification by at least half of the states.
The Law Commission of India is expected to release its own report on the subject soon.
