Kharge further stated, “If we want our democracy to remain vibrant and active, elections should be held as needed.” His argument is that conducting elections periodically is not only a way to hear the public’s voice but also keeps the political process dynamic. The Congress party believes that if all elections are held together, local issues and needs may be overlooked. This would make it easier for political parties to focus on national issues, while regional problems and concerns could be sidelined.

Previously, several states have also raised their voices against “One Nation, One Election.” Political analysts believe that this plan could pose a threat to the freedom and diversity of elections. It may reduce political competition and affect the variety of voter options. Despite Congress’s criticism, the Modi government asserts that “One Nation, One Election” will enhance political stability and make the electoral process more effective. The plan aims not only to reduce costs but also to streamline administrative operations.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see the stance of political parties on this issue and whether the “One Nation, One Election” plan can be implemented or not. Despite opposition from Congress and other parties, the government is preparing to push it forward.

The Modi government has been working on ‘One Nation, One Election’ for a long time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had discussed this issue on several occasions during his previous term. Recently, on the completion of 100 days of the NDA government, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated the commitment to this resolution. Shah made it clear that the government is fully committed to this issue and is preparing to bring it to Parliament.

Prime Minister Modi also mentioned ‘One Nation, One Election’ in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort on August 15. He stated that frequent elections are hindering the country’s progress. Due to the repeated electoral processes, there are delays in administrative work and development projects, which could be mitigated by conducting elections simultaneously.

For ‘One Nation, One Election,’ the committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu on March 14 of this year. The report is quite extensive, comprising a total of 18,626 pages. This report delves deeply into the possibilities, challenges, and benefits of conducting simultaneous elections across the country.

‘One Nation, One Election’ means conducting Lok Sabha and all state Assembly elections simultaneously across the country. Currently, Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are held at different times, leading to frequent electoral processes which consume time and resources. The aim of this proposal is to conduct all elections together, thereby saving the country’s resources and time and avoiding interruptions in development work.

Now that the Modi Cabinet has approved the proposal, the NDA government will present it as a bill in the winter session of Parliament. It will be interesting to see the discussions on this in Parliament and how quickly it can be turned into law.

The Modi government currently relies on the support of its allies. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the backing of major parties like JDU (Janata Dal-United) and TDP (Telugu Desam Party). These parties are part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and are supporting the government’s idea of ‘One Nation, One Election.’ It is being reported that all parties within the NDA are in favor of this concept and are ready for its implementation.

This idea is not just a government agenda but has been presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the public and other political parties multiple times. The BJP’s 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto also promised ‘One Nation, One Election.’ In his Independence Day speech this year, PM Modi urged political parties to come together in this direction. He said, “The demand of the time is that we achieve the resolution of ‘One Nation, One Election.'” It is expected that this will make the election process simpler and more time-bound.

The government formed a committee to study and deliberate on this issue, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The committee recently submitted its report to the government. According to the report, the committee recommended that the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections should be held together first. Following that, local body elections should be held within 100 days, so that elections at all levels can be completed within a fixed timeframe.

The primary aim of ‘One Nation, One Election’ is to reduce the frequency of elections and save resources. Frequent elections place a financial and administrative burden on both the government and the public. Holding elections simultaneously would lower administrative costs and reduce disruptions to developmental projects. However, there are arguments against this proposal. Opposition parties argue that it could harm regional parties and local issues might get overshadowed by national issues. Additionally, there are concerns that holding simultaneous elections could affect the parliamentary and democratic process.