Recently, President Ram Nath Kovind has called for simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies. He made this state while addressing the joint sitting of Parliament on the commencement of the Budget Session. So, let's have a brief look at it's feasibility of simultaneous election.
Need for Simultaneous Election
Free and fair elections are integral to democracy. Continuity, consistency in governance is also integral to democracy. Holding simultaneous elections will ensure consistency, continuity and governance. Implementing simultaneous polls would require a substantial shift from status quo and would involve amendments to the Constitution and election- related laws. In terms of governance and implementation of development programmes, enforcing the Model Code of Conduct is detrimental. All political parties are preoccupied with local body elections and Assembly elections throughout the year, so less time for developmental work. A system must therefore be evolved to give a period of five years to incumbent government to focus on governance.
When we are in constant election mode, we are also in permanent corruption mode. When crores are spent in elections, crores have to be collected by hook or by crook. Frequent electoral cycles disrupt normal public life by impacting the delivery of essential services. Then there is the administrative machinery to be taken into account and the expenses incurred. Frequent elections pose a huge burden on resources - both manpower and financial. A case in point is the recurring engagement of teachers for election duty, as a result of which students suffer.
Difficulties
Not all voters are highly educated to know who to vote for. They may get confused and may not know whether they are voting for candidates contesting assembly or parliament elections. Simultaneous elections goes against the spirit of Constitution and against the spirit of federalism. Beside, there is a practical difficulty. If simultaneous elections are held but the government loses it's majority in the Lok Sabha, will we then hold a new set of elections in all 29 states too, even if they have an absolute majority? Why should the States suffer for the electoral decisions taken at center? There is dearth of enough security and administrative officials to conduct simultaneous free and fair elections throughout the country in one go. Frequent elections bring politicians back to the voters, create jobs (though temporary) and prevent the mixing of local and national issues in the minds of the voters.
Finally I would like to say that One Nation One Election is desirable but we need a political consensus, solutions should be found to reduce the frequency of elections to relieve people and government machinery from frequent electoral process.
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