Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday expressed support for the proposed One Nation, One Election (ONOE) initiative during his interaction with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the issue.
Addressing the panel, Azad described simultaneous elections as a “win-win scenario" for the country, arguing that the reform could play a pivotal role in accelerating national development and strengthening governance.
He told the committee that the current cycle of frequent elections across states results in a significant diversion of administrative time and political attention. Holding elections simultaneously, he said, would allow governments and political leadership to focus more consistently on governance and development instead of continuous campaigning.
Azad also pointed out that India witnessed simultaneous elections in the early decades after Independence, when elections to the Lok Sabha and most state assemblies were held together. The cycle was disrupted later due to the premature dissolution of several assemblies and Parliament, leading to staggered elections across the country.
According to Azad, restoring simultaneous elections would not undermine the democratic character or federal structure of the country. Instead, he argued, the system could benefit opposition parties as well by encouraging greater reliance on strong regional leadership, rather than depending heavily on national leaders and Union ministers for campaigning.
He also suggested that synchronised elections could act as a deterrent against defections by elected representatives, thereby bringing greater political stability.
Azad further noted that the reform would significantly reduce election expenditure, address voter fatigue, and ease the burden on election management personnel, who currently conduct multiple elections across the country at different intervals.
Calling the proposal a “masterstroke," Azad told the committee that the advantages of simultaneous elections far outweigh the challenges of implementation, adding that the reform offers a largely positive trajectory for India’s governance framework.
The proposal for One Nation, One Election has been strongly advocated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has argued that synchronising elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies would improve governance efficiency and reduce the financial and administrative burden of frequent polls.
The Union government has initiated consultations with political parties, constitutional experts and stakeholders, and a Joint Parliamentary Committee is currently examining the proposal in detail.
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