COURTESY HT NOV 27

PM again pitches ‘one nation, one election’ system
Saubhadra Chatterji

letters@hindustantimes.com

Kevadia, Gujarat : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, once again pitched his One Nation, One Election idea -- simultaneous parliamentary, state assembly, and local body polls -- saying this was not just a matter of debate, but a requirement for the country.

Addressing presiding officers of legislatures from across India by video link, Modi also suggested a common voters list for all elections to prevent a waste of resources. The PM maintained that simultaneous elections at every level should be held using a common voter list.

“Every few months, we see an election in some part of the country. You all know what is the impact of these polls on development. There is a need for a deeper study and discussion on the issue and I suggest that presiding officers may lead such discussions,” Modi said.

The One Nation, One Election idea was first pitched by Modi in 2015. It is also on the agenda of his Bharatiya Janata Party. The idea, which entails one election every five years for the Lok Sabha, states, even corporations, has met stiff resistance from rival parties. Last year, the Congress skipped a meeting called by the PM on the issue and the Left parties called it a “back-door way of replacing our parliamentary democracy”.

The issue has starkly divided India’s political parties. Its advocates have argued the move will help focus on governance, reduce expenditure, and help channel security forces more efficiently.

Its critics, including the Congress, have alleged that the move will undermine democratic accountability, the federal structure and also pointed to its lack of feasibility within the constitutional scheme