Amid ongoing debates on the feasibility of simultaneous elections, Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan has strongly reiterated the need for implementing the ‘One nation, one election’ policy. He emphasized that frequent elections pose a significant obstacle to the country’s growth and development by causing administrative inefficiencies, financial burdens, and policy paralysis.
Speaking at a seminar at the Oriental Group of Institutes in Bhopal, Chouhan interacted with students, highlighting that the continuous cycle of elections across India diverts crucial resources and energy from governance. He stressed that the Ram Nath Kovind committee report provides a well-structured roadmap to address the challenges of implementing simultaneous elections and urged all stakeholders to support the initiative.
Addressing mediapersons later, Chouhan underscored that frequent elections not only consume bureaucratic time but also slow down long-term planning and execution of developmental projects. He pointed out that officers are frequently deployed to other states for election duties, impacting the efficiency of government administration. Moreover, he noted that political parties and governments often hesitate to take bold policy decisions due to electoral considerations, affecting governance at both state and national levels.
Calling for an end to what he termed the “drama of elections every four months,” Chouhan asserted that political parties remain in a perpetual election mode, leaving little scope for focused governance. He also praised students for their enthusiasm in supporting the idea and noted that a nationwide campaign favoring ‘One nation, one election’ is gaining momentum.
In response to concerns about the constitutional and legal feasibility of the proposal, Chouhan maintained that the Kovind committee report offers viable solutions. He cited an example that if a state assembly is dissolved mid-term, elections could be held only for the remaining tenure instead of a fresh five-year term. Expressing confidence that a legal framework could be developed to facilitate the transition to simultaneous elections, he reiterated the need for broader political consensus on the matter.
His remarks come at a crucial juncture, as the proposal for ‘One nation, one election’ has already been passed in the Lok Sabha but still requires wider political agreement for its full implementation.
