ONE NATION, ONE ELECTION: YET ANOTHER JUMLA

There is no reason to believe expenditure will be less with synchronised polls as there could be frequent polls even after it is introduced. Instead, it could diminish democracy in several ways

- KAPIL SIBAL

ONE Nation One Election is a political slogan. The agenda of the BJP is to have synchronised elections. What that means is to have elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies together. But that has nothing to do with one nation.

It is not as if since 1952, when there has been the absence of a law to hold synchronised elections, that we were not 'one nation'.

'One election' is also a misnomer. As contemplated by the Ram Nath Kovind Committee, 'one election', at the beginning, will be synchronised, but there will be situations when elections will I have to be held mid-stream. In this case, there will be elections for the remaining term either in relation to the Lok Sabha or state assemblies depending on when the government falls.

Therefore, the notion of 'one election' is yet another jumla. Both the slogan and motive are political.

Ram Nath Kovind, having held the presidential office, should never have consented to preside over this Committee. Having represented the republic, he should not be seen implementing the political agenda of a party. More so because the terms of reference of the committee was to provide a roadmap for implementing the ONOE agenda and not give its opinion on whether such a massive change requiring 15 constitutional amendments was desirable.

In the event, synchronised elections are to be held in 2029. The term of 17 state assemblies will be truncated for they would not have completed their respective five-year term. This violates the basic structure of the Constitution.