The Indian Parliament has recently introduced the ‘One Nation One Election‘ bill. This proposed bill, brought forth by the ruling National Democratic Alliance government, aims to synchronize elections for both the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to streamline the electoral process by holding simultaneous elections throughout the country. This would not only reduce the frequency of polls but also decrease associated expenditures. The rationale behind this proposal includes minimizing disruptions, controlling rising election expenses, and enabling governments to prioritize governance over continuous campaigning.
Big Thing – Expenditure
Analyzing the expenditure on India’s general elections from 2004 to 2024 reveals a significant upward trend, reflecting the increasing financial demands of conducting the world’s largest democratic exercise.
Overview
Over the past two decades, the cost of general elections in India has escalated markedly. This rise is attributed to factors such as inflation, expanded voter base, enhanced security measures, and the growing complexity of the electoral process. Notably, the 2024 general elections are projected to be the most expensive to date, with expenditures potentially reaching unprecedented levels.
Expenditure by Election Year:
Expenditure on general elections in 2024 has gone up by close to ₹1,15,500 Crores compared to that in 2004, astounding 2567% increase.
Note: These figures are approximate and compiled from various sources.
Expenditure Breakdown
While detailed official breakdowns are limited, expenditures generally encompass the following categories:
- Election Commission Expenses: Administrative costs for organizing and supervising elections, including personnel, training, and infrastructure.
- Security Measures: Deployment of police and paramilitary forces to ensure peaceful polling.
- Logistics: Setting up polling stations, transportation of electronic voting machines (EVMs), and related materials.
- Political Party Expenditures: Campaigning costs, including rallies, advertisements, and travel.
- Voter Education: Initiatives to inform and encourage voter participation.
For instance, according to Statista, in the 2019 elections, the Election Commission’s administrative budget was approximately ₹3,270 crore, with additional funds allocated for security and logistics. Political parties’ spending, particularly on publicity and travel, constituted a substantial portion of the total expenditure.
Potential Pros of Implementing ‘One Nation, One Election’
1. Cost Efficiency: Achieving cost efficiency is one of the key benefits of holding simultaneous elections. By combining multiple elections into one, there is potential for significant savings in public funds. This consolidated approach would eliminate the need for repeating expenses such as deploying security forces, setting up polling booths, and other logistical arrangements, resulting in reduced overall costs.
2. Administrative Efficiency: Streamlining the electoral process would ease the burden on government machinery and personnel, allowing them to focus on developmental work instead of election tasks.
3. Reduced Disruptions: The occurrence of policy paralysis, caused by the Model Code of Conduct that hinders the launch and execution of new initiatives, is a common consequence of frequent elections. However, if elections were held simultaneously, this hurdle would occur less often, enabling smoother governance without interruptions.
4. Enhanced Voter Turnout: Consolidating elections may lead to an increase in voter turnout by streamlining the voting process to once every five years. This could reduce exhaustion among voters and promote greater citizen involvement.
There are several potential drawbacks to implementing the concept of ‘One Nation, One Election’. These include possible logistical challenges, such as synchronizing the electoral process across various levels of government. Additionally, it may lead to a reduced focus on local issues and dilution of regional interests. There is also the concern that it could limit the ability of smaller or newer political parties to gain momentum and challenge larger, established parties.
Potential Cons of Implementing ‘One Nation, One Election’
1. Logistical Challenges: Ensuring smooth elections in a country as vast and diverse as India involves overcoming significant logistical challenges. These may include ensuring sufficient security, setting up polling infrastructure, and recruiting enough personnel to effectively manage the simultaneous voting process.
3. Constitutional and Legal Hurdles: The proposed plan faces both constitutional and legal obstacles. It would entail making substantial modifications to the Constitution, including adjustments to the terms of state assemblies and the Lok Sabha. Gaining political consensus for these changes would be a considerable hurdle.
2. Impact on Regional Parties: The potential impact on regional parties during concurrent elections is a cause for concern, as national issues may take precedence over local ones. This could lead to a disadvantage for regional parties and hinder the representation of local interests.
4. Federalism Concerns: The issue of federalism has been a cause for concern surrounding the idea of simultaneous elections. Some critics argue that this approach could potentially harm the federal structure by consolidating power and limiting the independence of state governments. This is due to the potential shift towards national issues as the main focus.
Conclusion
The proposed ‘One Nation One Election’ legislation offers a progressive solution to streamline India’s voting system, potentially resulting in financial savings, improved organizational effectiveness, and increased civic participation. Yet, it also prompts concerns about practicality, potential effects on local politics, necessary constitutional changes, and the protection of federalism. As the bill undergoes scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee, it is imperative for policymakers to engage in comprehensive deliberation
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