One Nation One Election

🇮🇳 Note : Parliamentary form over presidential → because we chose accountability over stability

Extra Concepts

Digital Public Infrastructure

Color Revolution - while discussing SCO - pro democratic processes in erstwhile USSR Countries

Examples : Orange, Velvet Revolution
News

Centre constituted a committee under former presdient shri ramnath kovdin to exauine the logistical and constutonal feasiblity of conducting one nation one election
Elections

Elections are bed rock of democracy. elections are procedural aspect of democracy

Multiparty System, Largest Democracy, Large elctoral roll → Hence Election is Important

Important Mechanism for Participation Civic enagement

Substantive representation
What is ONOE
1. Conducting elections simultaneously to the Lok Sabha and SLA
2. Advantage - given by parliamentary standing committee which supported simultaneous elections
  1. Reduce Election expenditure, reduced tax payers money in conducting elections
    
    as per niti aayog and election commission the cost of conducting parliamentary & state elections in a five years cycle is worked out to be Rs 10 per voter per year
  2. it will help in enhanced governance and long term development
  3. Promote more inclusive political climate
Quotes

American Political Commentator Sidney Blu Monthal said that india is in a permanent campaign mode
Issues with Current System
1. Constant Campaigning
2. Split Ticket Voting
3. Economic Effect
Defintion

One Nation One Election Means Simultaneous Election to both Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies

Will help the voters to caste their voter both to the state legislative assemblies and lok sabha on the same day
Advantages
1. Economic Efficiency of Election Process
  
  Can cut down cost of Tax Payers Money in Reducing the Expenses
  
  As per estimates by NITI Aayog and Election Commission the cost of conducting parliament and state election in a 5 year cycle is worked out to be Rs 10 per voter per year and the report suggest that if elections are synchronised and simultaneous it will reduce the expense Rs 5 per voter per year
2. Enhanced Governance and Long Term Planning
  
  It will bring India out Permanent Campaigns and how it affects - Reduced MCC Restrictions - Long Term Governance
  
  It will also reduce expenditure of political parties
  
  Less Interruptions to Government & hence Governance
3. Streamlining Administrative Efforts
  
  it reduces the administrative burden like deployment of Para Military Forces, Bureaucrats and
  
  Also Election Commission can focus more on electoral reforms
4. Voter Centric Benefits
  
  Possibility of Voter to go and cast vote on one day for both LS & RS. Hence Voter Turnout will be more and hence better democracy
5. Promoting a More Inclusive Political Climate
  
  Lessened Vote Bank Politics
Note : The Same Recommendation were given by simultaneous Elections
Challenges
1. Constitutional and Legal Barriers
  
  Amendment of Art 86 & Art 82 need to be changed. Standing Committee was asked that if State Ratification is needed or not for Constitutional Amendment
2. Implication on Federalism & Democratic Principles (Pre Mature Dissolution)
  
  Will lead to Judicial Scrutiny. SC held in a series of cases that federalism is part of Basic Structure
  
  What if states call for Pre Mature Dissolution of SLA or there is president rule or change of govt ?
3. Limitation on Public Participation
  
  Emergence of More and More Regional Parties and End of Congress System and Increase of Coalition System led to Increased Regional Power Representation and Hence More Democracy
  
  Simultaneous Election May Lead to an ARTIFICIAL FIXITY of the tenure of SLA
  
  Here, with multiple elections, many states became Lab of Democracy
  
  Like GST Council Question : Pooled Sovereignty.
  
  in Democracy → Representation and Accountability is more important that Stability
  
  India Democracy is characterised by Procedural Democracy. Hence we also employ Split Ticket Voting (One Person is voting differently for different elections). ONOE will reduce Split Ticket Voting.
  
  continuos elections calls for Continuos Accountability
4. Operational Hurdle
  
  Huge One Time Expenditure required for buying New EVMS and VVPAT. One Time CAPEX
  
  Large No of Para Military Forces and Large No of Bureaucrats are also employed
  
  According to Election Commissions Estimates it needs more than 9200 Crore Rupees for only procurement let alone storage and other thing
  
  That is why MP Shashi Tharoor : One Nation One Election is politically Unfeasible, Administratively Unworkable and Constitutionally Unviable
5. Impediments to Fair Competition
  
  More Cadre More Storng Party will have upper hand
Suggestions
1. PSC (Parliamentary Standing Commitee)- 2 Phase Election
  1. Phase 1 - Along with Lok Sabha - Set 1 of SLA Elections
  2. Phase 2 - in the mid term of Lok Sabha - Set 2 of SLA Elections
2. Law Commissions
  1. Elections of State Assemblies whose term ends 6 months. after general elections lok sabha can be clubbed together. However results can be declared at the end of tenure
Way Forward
1. Electoral Reforms
  
  Churchill said that democracy is the worst form of govt except for other forms
  
  Like: Reduced Criminalisation of Politics, Political Funding Transparency - Reformed Electoral Bond Scheme, Internal Democracy in Parties and in ticket distribution, reducing the time taken to conduct elections
2. Strengthen Election Commission of India
Global Case
1. South Africa & Sweden are having ONOE
Examples

IDFC study says that 77% people will vote for the same political party in both SLA & Lok Sabha → Bihar Election Cited

Different Parties Chosen → Andhra Pradesh Election
Practise Question

Question: Simultaneous Election will limit amount of time and money spent in electioneering but it will reduce the governments accountability to the people.

Answer: