Ambiguous path to clarity?

India, fondly dubbed as the 'mother of democracy', is no stranger to the ceaseless cycle of elections.

With 28 states, eight union territories, and nearly a billion eligible voters, polls have been a constant feature of the nation's political landscape. Against this backdrop, the debate around feasibility and implications of 'One Nation, One Election' has been reignited with the introduction of two related bills in the Parliament.

On paper, the ONOE idea seems logical. Holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies could indeed reduce campaign costs and strain on administrative resources, and ensure more focused governance. Supporters of the idea view it as a 'game-changer'--their argument being it could boost India's GDP by up to 1.5 per cent, as projected by former President Ram Nath Kovind-led committee. Here, it may also be pertinent to note that the Centre-ruling BJP has been backing, in fact pushing, this idea for quite a long time. Vociferously criticised by the Indian National Congress and other opposition parties, the issue has, obviously, created a rigorous political slugfest.