New Delhi – In a major step aimed at improving the electoral process, the Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the “One Nation, One Election” bill, which is likely to be introduced in the ongoing winter session of Parliament, sources said.
The bill on simultaneous voting in the lower house and parliament will become a law once it is passed by both houses of parliament, the House of People and the House of Federation.
To ensure broad support, the federal government plans to reach consensus on the bill, which may be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed discussion.
This work will pave the way for the inclusion of the views of all political parties that will be represented.
Furthermore, it will also benefit other stakeholders, including state assembly speakers and intellectuals, to share their views. Public comment may also be sought.
Earlier on Wednesday, former President Ram Nath Kovind said the federal government must reach a consensus on the “One Nation, One Choice” initiative, stressing that the issue transcended political interests and served the entire country.
Kovind, chairman of the committee on the issue, said in an interview with the media: “The central government must reach a consensus. This issue is not in the interest of any party, only in the interest of the country. It (one country, one election) will change the rules of the game – This is not my opinion but that of economists who believe that after implementation, the country's GDP will grow by 1-1.5%.
The Union Cabinet has approved the Ram Nath Kovind Committee report on the proposal, which advocates holding simultaneous elections across the country.
The coalition government stated that the “One Nation, One Election” bill will not only simplify the electoral process, but will also increase efficiency and reduce the financial and administrative burden associated with holding multiple elections at different times.
The Center emphasized that the “One Nation, One Election” concept envisages synchronizing the electoral cycles of the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies, allowing voters to vote for both polling stations simultaneously.
In doing so, the government aims to address several challenges posed by the current staggered electoral system, which often results in longer campaign durations, disruption to governance and increased spending.
In September this year, the cabinet approved the “one country, one election” bill proposal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the proposal and said the cabinet has accepted the recommendation to elect the high-level committee simultaneously.
A committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind recommended holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, followed by simultaneous local body polls within 100 days.
The panel consulted extensively with a wide range of stakeholders, including political parties and experts, before preparing the report. It received widespread feedback indicating overwhelming support for the country to hold simultaneous elections.
The committee submitted the report in March, before the Lok Sabha elections were announced. It recommended that the Election Commission (ECI) in consultation with state electoral authorities prepare a universal electoral roll and voter ID card.
“Conducting simultaneous polls will help save resources, remove barriers and help realize the aspiration of 'India is Bharat',” the panel said.
The concept of “one country, one choice” was first proposed in the 1980s. .
