New Delhi, Sep 1: A day after announcing a “special session” of Parliament, the government on Friday constituted a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to explore the feasibility of “one nation, one election”, opening the possibility of Lok Sabha polls being advanced so that they could be held with a string of state assembly elections.
The move caught opposition bloc INDIA, holding their conclave in Mumbai, by surprise and further raised the political heat. The opposition alliance slammed the decision as a “threat” to the country’s federal structure.
Meanwhile, arrangements are also being made for group photos of MPs during the “special session” of Parliament from September 18-22, sparking another set of speculation as such a picture is generally taken at the beginning or end of the Parliament term.
Sources said on Friday that Kovind will explore the feasibility of the exercise and the mechanism to see how the country can go back to having simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls, as was the case till 1967.
He is expected to speak to experts and may also consult leaders of different political parties, they said.
While the government has kept the agenda of the session under wraps, its move has come amid indications that the “special session” could be the last meeting of the 17th Lok Sabha and general elections can be advanced.
Since coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a strong votary for the idea of simultaneous polls, including local bodies, citing the financial burden caused by the almost continuous election cycle and jolt to development work during the polling period.
Kovind too had echoed Modi’s view and expressed his support to the idea after becoming President in 2017.
Addressing Parliament, he had said in 2018: “Frequent elections not only impose a huge burden on human resources but also impede the development process due to the promulgation of the model code of conduct.”
With the Modi government approaching the end of its second term, there is a view in its top echelon that it can no longer let the issue drag on and needs to move decisively to underscore its purposefulness after debating on the topic for years.
With the ruling BJP under Modi always animated by grander themes and big-ticket ideas to rally popular support, the issue will also suit the party politically and catch the opposition off-guard, leaders in the party believe.
Opposition leaders alleged that the ongoing meeting of the INDIA alliance has rattled the ruling BJP and forced the government to take a decision to set up the committee.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called the government’s move a “diversion and distraction”.
“No matter how many diversions and distractions the ruling regime throws at the people, the citizens of India shall not be betrayed anymore,” Kharge said on X, without making any direct reference to the formation of the committee.
The Aam Aadmi Party said the move betrays the “panic” in the ruling party after they saw the unity of opposition parties under the INDIA bloc.
Assembly polls are due in five states — Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Rajasthan — in November-December and they are scheduled to be followed by the Lok Sabha polls in May-June next year.
Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh assemblies are scheduled to go to the polls with the Lok Sabha elections. (PTI)
Not a new idea for India
New Delhi, Sep 1: The central government’s decision to constituted a high-powered panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of “one nation, one election” is a shocker for the political opponents and detractors of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
But this is revolutionary and one of the much sought after “pro-reform” strategies. There are chances now the country could be headed towards a Presidential form of government.
Now whether this happens by 2023-24 or later could be looked into at a later stage.
Answers to questions on these lines remain best in the womb of time.
The idea of “one nation, one election” is in tune with the political philosophy of the BJP and even the presidential form of government has been endorsed by the BJP stalwarts like LK Advani in the past.
For his part, Modi has pushed the idea strongly especially for simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. Hence the decision to set up a panel underscores the government’s seriousness on the matter.
In 1998-99 these ideas gained currency after the Vajpayee government took over the reins of the government following three years of political instability under United Front – a conglomeration of regional and caste-based parties supported by the Leftists and the Congress.
The conviction by the saffron think tanks and individuals used to be that electoral politics is at the source of all these ailments/perversions.
The British model that India followed envisages a system with a responsible cabinet and sovereign parliament. But in the US, the system is Presidential. There one has an executive central government for a “federation” and that would function in close coordination with the judiciary. In some cases even the judiciary gets upper hand.
In the US, of course, experts would say the separation of powers doctrine has been made ‘workable’ with right checks and balances. This will be a challenging area in the Indian context.
If the US model is adopted, one major factor/transition will be the civil service “losing” its vice-like grip over governance machineries.
However, one major concern is it will be less democratic and smaller parties will slowly and gradually cease to exist.
However, such a system will encourage a two or three party system and technically it will allow “reviving” the Congress party with a renewed look. (IANS)