Simultaneous Elections

Context:

• The Minister for Law and Justice recently informed the government that the simultaneous elections has the potential  to result in significant savings for the public exchequer and political parties, although there are several impediments in its implementation. 

What is a simultaneous election/One Nation One Election?

• One Nation One Election refers to conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, thereby synchronizing the election cycle and reducing the frequency of elections. 
• This would involve holding elections in all states and the Lok Sabha in a gap of five years, allowing voters to cast their votes for both the LS and state assemblies on the same day, either simultaneously or in a phased manner. 
  • By doing so, it aims to address the current situation where elections take place throughout the year due to staggered terms and premature dissolutions.

Benefits of simultaneous elections:

• Reduced Expenditure: It will lead to avoidance of replication of effort on the part of administrative and law and order machinery in holding repeated elections and bring considerable savings to political parties and candidates in their election campaigns.
• Issue of model code of conduct:Simultaneous elections can mitigate the issue of the Model Code of Conduct which sometimes hinders the government from announcing projects or policy plans.
• Improved Governance: Simultaneous elections will allow elected governments and ruling parties to concentrate on governance rather than diverting their attention towards frequent election preparations in various regions.
• Disruption of public services: Deputing government employees frequently on election duty can hinder public services resulting in challenges for the smooth functioning of government operations and delivery of services to the public.
• Curbing black money: Frequent elections have been associated with the possibility of black money being turned into white money, leading to the emergence of a parallel economy. Holding one-time elections could help reduce such a possibility.
• Fostering unity: Simultaneous polls promote a national perspective over regional ones, which is important for cultivating unity within the country.
• Recommendations of Law Commission: As per the Commission, simultaneous elections can help prevent the nation from being in a constant election mode and also increase voter turnout.

Impediments raised by Ministry of Law and Justice in implementation of Simultaneous Elections:

• Alteration of Basic Structure: Implementing simultaneous elections would require bringing amendments in not less than five articles of Constitution to the Constitution. 
  • For example, Article 85 (Dissolution of the Lok Sabha), 356 (Failure of constitutional machinery), etc.
• EVM Expenses: Doubling expenses on electronic voting machines (EVMs) could offset the potential savings from simultaneous elections.
• Model Code of Conduct (MCC): It is argued that it only prevents ruling parties from using government machinery for electoral gains, rather than paralyzing policy-making as overstated by some opponents.
• Against federal structure: It has the tendency of moving the country towards a unitary state rather than a federal one that the Constitution envisages. 
• Fading of local issues: Mixing of national and regional issues will lead to fading of local issues, distorting priorities and giving an unfair advantage to national parties over regional ones.
• Logistic Challenges: Logistical challenges could arise in organizing simultaneous elections once in five years, especially with the deployment of security forces in large numbers for free and fair conduct.
• Scheduling Challenges: Scheduling time slots may be a challenge due to India’s geographical and administrative diversity, including weather, agricultural cycles, exam schedules, religious festivals, and public holidays.
• Controlling mid term dissolution: Ensuring adequate legal safeguards would be a challenge which is necessary to prevent mid-term dissolution of Houses and protecting the simultaneous elections cycle.
• Change in Voting behaviour: Evidence shows that voters often tend to vote for the same party for both State and Central governments when voters are required to cast their ballots for both the State and Central governments simultaneously, at the same polling booth, and on the same day.
• International examples not suitable for India: Comparing international examples (Sweden, Belgium, South Africa) to India may not be suitable due to the vast differences in population and area.
• Feasibility: Concerns arise over the feasibility of conducting elections across all state governments if a coalition central government collapses.
• Broad Consensus: The government will have to be obtained consensus of all political parties as well as all state governments.

Way Forward:

• Cycle of elections: Creating a cycle where legislative assemblies whose terms end within six months to one year before or after the Lok Sabha elections could be held along with elections of Lok Sabha. 
• Political parties under RTI: In order to ensure better transparency, accountability and democracy within political parties, bringing them under the framework of the Right to Information Act is recommended.
• Free and fair elections: Strengthening the Election Commission’s role as a regulator and enhancing its monitoring capabilities to oversee poll expenditure at all levels would contribute to conducting free and fair elections.
• Electronic voter ID cards: The use of IT-enabled tools like electronic voter ID cards can help eliminate bogus electors from electoral rolls, improving the accuracy and integrity of the voter registration process.
• State funding of elections: Exploring the idea of state funding for elections is proposed as a measure to reduce the influence of money power in politics and promote a level playing field for candidates.

News Source: Indian Express