Power of One Nation, One Election for Viksit Bharat

India, the world's largest democracy, is celebrated for its robust and frequent elections. Yet the constant electoral cycle presents a pressing challenge: can a nation of 1.45 billion people maintain consistent governance while being perpetually in election mode?

- Dr Somya Gurjar

JAIPUR:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's renewed push for "One Nation, One Election" addresses this critical issue. It calls for reimagining India's electoral framework to better serve its long-term developmental goals.

Simultaneous elections were once standard practice in India. From 1951 to 1967, the Lok Sabha and state assemblies went to polls together. This changed due to political instability, premature dissolutions, and misuse of constitutional provisions like Article 356. Since then, frequent elections have disrupted governance and created significant administrative and financial burdens.

As India pursues its "Viksit Bharat 2047" vision, aligning political processes with developmental needs becomes essential. A high-level committee under the leadership of former President Ram Nath Kovind is evaluating the constitutional, administrative, and social aspects of this reform.