An Undocumented Wonder

One-nation-one elections face multiple challenges relating to constitutional and federal issues while there are alternative strategies for meeting the objective of cost reduction and shorter time period to conduct mammoth polls, opines Dr S Y Qureshi.

- RASHEED KIDWAI

In "An Undocumented Wonder," [Rupa 2025], Quraishi, former chief election commissioner, says while simultaneous elections promise efficiency and reduced costs, they present logistical and structural challenges that warrant careful deliberations.

According to Quraishi, federalism could be undermined as many states follow their own state assembly tenure timelines. He raises a query, "if a state government collapses due to defections or some other upheaval, how will simultaneous elections be sustained?" Similarly, if the Lok Sabha is dissolved prematurely, as it happened six times during 1970, 1979, 1991, 1998, 1999 and 2004, will this necessitate dissolving all state assemblies as well? Such a situation, Quraishi insists, seems impractical in a diverse democracy like India.

Quraishi's book is laced with anecdotes, data, insights and firsthand experience of holding the mammoth exercise during 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Quraishi served as election commissioner between 2006-2012. It was during his tenure in 2011, when then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited India, she referred to the Election Commission of India (ECI), as the "Gold Standard" in election management worldwide.