ONE POLL, MANY CONCERNS

DESPITE OPPOSITION, THE BJP-LED CENTRE IS DETERMINED TO PURSUE THE ONE NATION, ONE POLL’ PLAN. IF IT DOES HAPPEN, QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED ON WHETHER IT STRENGTHENS OR WEAKENS OUR DEMOCRACY

- Kaushik Deka

On September 18, despite opposition from political parties and civil society, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre decided to move forward with the 'One Nation, One Poll (ONOP)' plan, with the Union Cabinet accepting recommendations from a high-level committee led by former president Ram Nath Kovind. The panel proposed that Lok Sabha and assembly elections be held together, with municipal and panchayat elections following within the next 100 days. It also recommends a single electoral roll and Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) database to govern voting to elections to all three tiers of legislative bodies. But simultaneous elections will require 18 amendments to existing laws, including 15 to the Constitution-e.g. in Article 82 (delimitation), Article 83 (duration of Houses of Parliament), Article 85 (dissolution of Lok Sabha by the President), Article 172 (duration of state legislatures), Article 174 (dissolution of state assemblies), Article 356 (President's Rule in the state) and Article 324 (powers of the Election Commission). The Union government is expected to bring constitutional amendment bills to this effect during the upcoming winter session of Parliament.

The first Constitutional Amendment Bill will seek to insert a new article-82A-to establish the process for the transition to simultaneous polls. Article 82A (1), whereby the President issues a notification of the date of the first sitting of the Lok Sabha, will seek to bring it into force. If it comes to pass, that would henceforth be called the Appointed Date'. State assemblies formed after the date and before the completion of the Lok Sabha's term would conclude before the subsequent general election. After this, elections to the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies would be held simultaneously.