Surprise, stunt and secrecy have characterised the style of functioning of the current national BJP leadership. The same trick is being tried once again in the name of introduction of a system of “One Nation, One Election” at the fag end of the present Lok Sabha when preparations for the 2024 polls are already underway. Since the disastrous demonetization, the BJP government has been producing from its hat one policy or the other in a secretive and dramatic fashion only to wreak havoc with the country’s economy and social fabric. The sudden implementation of lockdown at the start of COVID-19 and the inept handling of the pandemic itself had brought untold suffering to people at the time, betraying a deep disconnect of the government with the people.
That the government is not serious about the whole exercise of simultaneous Parliamentary and Assembly elections is becoming clear from the pronouncements of the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi. The ruling party could use it for electoral purposes to divert people’s attention from the government’s disappointing performance, price hike of essential commodities and disclosures of corruption.
The idea of simultaneous elections is not new and has been advocated by the BJP government and PM Modi several times in the past as well. The just formed Committee to go into the theory of One Nation, One Election, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, will be the fourth to examine the idea. Earlier, the Law Commission, NITI Aayog, and a Parliamentary Standing Committee also examined the matter and no conclusive decision had been reached since important legislative changes and constitutional amendments are to be effected, apart from the need of taking all political parties on board. That is a near impossibility for the present government. In that context, the legitimate question that arises is why the government has mooted the proposal when its term is coming to an end. Also to be considered is the appointment of a former President of the Union to work for a political goal. No other previous President, as far as one can remember, had been offered or had accepted such a responsibility. This downgrades the stature of the Rashtrapati for sure.
In fact, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister himself said that once the Committee comes up with a report, it will be put in the public domain to be followed by a discussion at different levels, including the Parliament. One may wonder if there will be enough time for all those steps before the 2024 election. The Minister’s assertion that “There is nothing to be nervous about” also sounds suspicious.
He did not say who was getting nervous. On the other hand, the Opposition has slammed the government instead and said the BJP is “nervous” after their alliance INDIA has started finalising its electoral strategy and programs. Opposition leaders have levelled the charge that the government has suddenly called the special five-day Parliamentary session to be held from September 18 and then announced the Committee to examine the feasibility of holding simultaneous elections to distract the people’s attention from their new alliance.
The idea of simultaneous elections is not new. The first few post-independence Lok Sabha elections were indeed held simultaneously with the state Legislative Assembly elections. That is why it was termed ‘General’ Election. The practice continued up till 1966. Political awareness and differing aspirations at the grassroots levels changed that situation and states started to move away from one single party to multiple parties. Due to premature dissolution of some state Assemblies, the system of simultaneous elections got disrupted of its own volition. In August 2018, the Law Commission of India, in its draft report on this subject, noted that simultaneous elections cannot be held within the existing framework of the Constitution as appropriate amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the Peoples Act 1951, and the Rules of Procedure of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies will have to be made.
All these developments suggest the momentous issue cannot be decided overnight or in just one special Parliamentary Session. Knowing it well, the Centre has made this stunning announcement. Practical points are not being discussed. For example, the Election Commission, as of now, has about 12 lakh Electronic Voting Machines and equal number of VVPATs. Simultaneous elections would require about 25 lakh of each of these gadgets. That would be an expensive and time consuming move.
Ostensibly, the high cost involved in holding elections at different times is being touted as a reason for supporting the idea of One Election. A close examination of the way state and Central governments are often formed before the expiry of their terms due to internal wrangling and breakaway groups toppling one government and forming another will make simultaneous elections a mockery of democracy. The BJP itself is often accused of engineering such defections and fall of governments. History proves that in the past, the BJP led NDA had dissolved the Lok Sabha and gone for early Parliament elections.
In such a situation, the plan of mooting simultaneous elections could be prompted by the BJP’s under confidence that its current mascot, PM Modi, may not be able to clinch the required figure all by himself after a decade of governance where not much can be shown as achievements. The Moon landing and voyages to the Sun may fail to catch the poor Indians’ imagination. As they say ‘A hungry man is an angry man’. For BJP strategists that hunger may be met not by bread but by imaginary glory. The party’s recent rout in Karnataka, the possibility of defeat in the coming elections to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh and the new disclosures of corrupt practices by the Adani business group, may have convinced the BJP leadership that victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections may not be a done and dusted thing, as some are trying to project. The possibility of losing one or few of the important states which are slated to be going for polls in November 2023 might also be a reason for hurrying up with the One Nation One Election agenda. The wish for these state elections to get postponed might be stemming from the ruling party’s fear of the results impacting Lok Sabha polls negatively.
The main plank of the BJP is that a simultaneous election to Lok Sabha and all state Assemblies will help save money of the state exchequer. This argument is far from truth as the cost of all arrangements including security bandobust, polling station numbers and preparations, staff, transport and everything else would remain the same. Only difference could be that the expenses, which are now staggered, would come together if elections are held at one time.
Let it be assumed that BJP is successful in conducting simultaneous elections this time around. Then would come the perplexing situation of any House, Assembly or Lok Sabha, not coming up with a clear mandate favoring one political party and resulting in a situation where Governor’s rule (in a state) or dissolution would be the only way out. What happens then would be a critical poser. Most importantly, for a healthy democracy to have intermittent elections which act as progress reports for showing the nation what the parties have achieved in regard to their poll promises is vital. Otherwise, a 5-year tenure of any House without checks and balances would result in arbitrariness in policies and programs detrimental to people’s interests.
Just as Panchayat (Rural) and Urban Local Body (Municipality) elections keep a State government on its toes, so also Assembly elections at different times keep the Union government alert and responsive.
The idea of One Nation One Election is undemocratic, impractical and anti-people and must be unequivocally opposed.