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Congress MP Imran Masood on Wednesday questioned the practical feasibility of 'One Nation, One Election', asserting that the concept of simultaneous polls is "simply not practical and not possible" in India, particularly in the event of a state Assembly losing its majority before completing its tenure.
Speaking to ANI on the challenges of synchronising elections across states, Masood raised concerns over the tenure of Assemblies in cases of premature dissolution. "How is it possible? If the majority in an Assembly is reduced or falls for some reason, then the next election will be for the same time period... This is simply not practical and also not possible in this country," Masood said. Countering the opposition's apprehensions, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Yogender Chandolia argued that implementing simultaneous elections would significantly curb poll-related spending and bolster the economy. "If 'One Nation, One Election' is implemented in the country, a lot of money spent on different elections will be saved, and it will strengthen the country's financial condition," Chandolia told ANI. Meanwhile, Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav in Patna also supported the initiative, stating that recurrent election cycles create an unsustainable administrative and financial burden. Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, "This government approaches its work seriously and operates in full compliance with all rules and regulations. That is why One Nation, One Election is essential; constant elections place an immense burden on the country and the government. Recognising this, the Prime Minister has deemed One Nation, One Election to be appropriate and necessary." Earlier, JPC chairman PP Chaudhary on Tuesday said that the proposed "One Nation, One Election" framework is neither against federalism nor violative of the basic structure of the Constitution, asserting that the move is aimed at synchronising the electoral calendar without affecting the autonomy of states. Speaking to ANI, the JPC chairman said, "We first consulted six former Chief Justices of India, including Justice UU Lalit, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud. Except for one person, almost all of the 12 people we consulted were of the view that One Nation, One Election is in the national interest and is not against federalism or the basic structure of the Constitution," he said. "One Nation, One Election is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections together. Under this vision, issues such as good infrastructure, industries, investment, governance and quality education are being considered. This is in the national interest," he added. While addressing concerns over federalism and state autonomy, Chaudhary said, "There is no interference with the State List under One Nation, One Election. Only the electoral calendar is being synchronised. It will not make any difference to the voter or the candidate. Synchronising election dates does not reduce the autonomy of the states. It does not reduce their legislative powers," Chaudhary said, adding that the proposal was aimed at administrative convenience and could help save public money. The JPC chairman said the biggest beneficiaries of simultaneous elections would be the country's youth, particularly Class 12 students, as repeated election duties affect the functioning of schools. He added that if simultaneous elections result in savings of Rs 7-10 lakh crore and the money is invested in education, it could improve the future of children and youth, generate employment and provide better quality education. "This is the vision that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has had since 2014--that if India has to move forward, Lok Sabha and Assembly elections should be held together, and the money saved should be used for the development of young people," he said. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, is linked to the proposed reform popularly known as "One Nation, One Election," which seeks to synchronise elections for the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is also part of the broader framework aimed at facilitating the implementation of simultaneous elections across the country. These Bills, introduced on December 17, 2024, in the Lok Sabha and sent to the JPC for further scrutiny, collectively aim to introduce simultaneous elections across the country. (ANI)
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