Simultaneous polls

WITH the Lok Sabha elections set to be announced anytime now, a committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind has submitted its report on ‘One nation, one election’. The panel has recommended a two-phase exercise: first, hold simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies; second, conduct elections to municipalities and panchayats within 100 days. It has also recommended a common electoral roll and electoral photo identity card for use in the elections to all three tiers of governance.

In its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had affirmed its commitment to the idea of simultaneous elections for Parliament, assemblies and local bodies to ‘reduce expenditure, ensure efficient utilisation of government resources and security forces and for effective policy planning.’The party had promised that it would try to build consensus on this issue among various stakeholders. According to the committee, 47 political parties submitted their views and suggestions, out of which 32 supported simultaneous elections.

‘One nation, one election’ is arguably the final big item on its agenda that the BJP has addressed before the General Election. A common voter list is undoubtedly a sound idea that will find acceptance across the board, but the same is not true for simultaneous polls. Parliamentary and Assembly elections have different dynamics and issues at stake. For instance, the BJP swept all seats in the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi in 2014 and 2019; however, it was AAP that recorded landslide victories in the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls. Some Opposition parties and independent observers see ‘One nation, one election’ as a ploy to blur the lines and prompt the electorate to vote for the ruling party at the Centre in both cases. Armed with the panel report, the Centre must go all out to develop unanimity on this contentious matter.

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#Lok Sabha #Ram Nath Kovind