Centre forms panel to study ‘one nation one election’

 NEW DELHI: The Central government on Friday announced the setting up of a high-level panel to study the proposal of ‘one nation, one election’. Former President Ram Nath Kovind will head the panel and submit a report on the proposal.

The move comes a day after the government announced a special session of Parliament from September 18 to 22.

Soon after the announcement of the special session, speculation began over whether the ‘one nation, one election’ proposal, which a section of the media had reported, could be discussed during the session.

The proposal refers to holding the Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls simultaneously across the country.

The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have spoken on the issue on several occasions, and it was also a part of the party’s manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Conducting polls simultaneously was the norm in India until 1967, when four elections were held this way. The practice stopped after some state assemblies were dissolved prematurely in 1968–69.

The Lok Sabha was also, for the first time, dissolved a year ahead of schedule, and mid-term elections were held in 1971.

Modi’s gamble is revolutionary

This is a shocker for the political opponents and detractors of the Prime Minister. But this is revolutionary and one of the much sought-after “pro-reform” strategies. There are chances now that the country could be headed towards a presidential form of government.

Now, whether this happens by 2023–24 or later could be looked into at a later stage. Answers to questions along these lines remain best in the womb of time. The idea of “One Nation, One Election” is in tune with the political philosophy of the BJP, and even the presidential form of government has been endorsed by BJP stalwarts like L. K. Advani in the past.

In fact, in 2018, none other than the then President Ram Nath Kovind told Parliament, “Frequent elections not only impose a huge burden on human resources but also impede the development process due to the promulgation of the model code of conduct”.

For his part, Modi has pushed the idea strongly, especially for simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls.

Hence, the decision to set up a panel underscores the government’s seriousness on the matter.

In 1998–99, these ideas gained currency after the Vajpayee government took over the reins of the government following three years of political instability under the United Front, a conglomeration of regional and caste-based parties supported by the Leftists and the Congress.

BJP ideologues such as K. R. Malkani used to raise concern that the Indian polity had sunk to abysmal depths. Elections were almost a farce, marked by violence and booth capture. There was also deep concern about the emergence of caste-based politics and the criminalization of politics.

The conviction of the saffron think tanks and individuals used to be that electoral politics was at the source of all these ailments and perversions.

‘One Nation, One Election, if implemented, could lead to a presidential form of government, and that would be something to ensure a strong and stable central or federal government, as is understood in the US.

The British model that India followed envisages a system with a responsible cabinet and a sovereign parliament. But in the US, the system is presidential. There is an executive central government for a federation,” and that would function in close coordination with the judiciary. In some cases, even the judiciary gets the upper hand.

In the US, of course, experts would say the separation of powers doctrine has been made ‘workable’ with the right checks and balances. This will be a challenging area in the Indian context. (IANS)

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