One Nation One Election: A Flawed Proposal with No Future?

The Wire

23 Sept 202409:25

Summary

TLDRThe video script discusses the concept of 'One Nation, One Election' in India, highlighting the challenges and implications of synchronizing national and state elections. It critiques the proposal, suggesting it undermines the federal structure and could lead to increased political manipulation. The script also addresses concerns about the feasibility and cost of conducting simultaneous elections and questions the composition of the committee formed to study the issue, implying bias and lack of constitutional expertise.

Takeaways

📰 Former Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram's article in The Indian Express on September 22 criticizes the One Nation One Election concept as impractical and politically motivated.
🗳️ The concept of One Nation One Election proposes simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies, but the exact timing remains unclear.
🏛️ The idea of simultaneous elections was first suggested by the Election Commission of India in 1983 to streamline the election process and reduce costs.
📉 P Chidambaram argues that the proposal undermines the federal structure of India by potentially diminishing the importance of state governments.
🤔 The constitutionality of One Nation One Election is questioned, as it may require significant amendments to the Constitution, affecting the basic structure doctrine.
👥 The composition of the committee formed to examine One Nation One Election is criticized for lacking constitutional experts and being politically biased.
🗓️ The implementation of One Nation One Election could disrupt the term of existing state assemblies, leading to premature or extended terms.
💡 Experts fear that the proposal could centralize power and reduce the autonomy of states, which goes against the federal structure of India.
🌐 The cost of conducting simultaneous elections is highlighted as a significant concern, with no clear benefits outlined to offset these expenses.
🔄 The potential for political manipulation is raised, as the proposal could be used as a tool to suppress dissenting voices and maintain control through the threat of new elections.

Q & A

What does the term 'One Nation One Election' refer to?
-The term 'One Nation One Election' refers to the proposal to conduct simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament), Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament), and all state legislative assemblies in India.
Who declared 'One Nation One Election' as dead on arrival?
-The former Home Minister of India, P. Chidambaram, declared 'One Nation One Election' as dead on arrival in an article published in The Indian Express.
What is the requirement for passing a bill into law in India?
-In India, for any bill to become law, it requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of the Parliament, which the ruling party does not have.
When was the idea of 'One Nation One Election' first proposed?
-The idea of 'One Nation One Election' was first proposed by the Election Commission of India in 1983.
What was the recommendation of the Law Commission regarding simultaneous elections?
-The Law Commission recommended that conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies could reduce the frequency and cost of elections.
What were the findings of the report by the Kovind Committee on the matter of simultaneous elections?
-The Kovind Committee recommended constitutional amendments for simultaneous elections but also noted that some of its suggestions, like keeping panchayat elections separate, do not actually constitute simultaneous elections.
What are the concerns raised by P. Chidambaram regarding the composition of the Kovind Committee?
-P. Chidambaram raised concerns about the composition of the Kovind Committee, stating that it lacked constitutional experts and was not representative of the opposition's views.
What are the potential impacts of 'One Nation One Election' on India's federal structure?
-Experts fear that 'One Nation One Election' could undermine India's federal structure by reducing the significance of diverse states and potentially centralizing power.
What are the logistical challenges of implementing 'One Nation One Election' as highlighted in the script?
-The logistical challenges include the need to set up new voting centers, select and train new polling officers, and ensure security, all within a short span of three months after the previous elections.
How does the script suggest that 'One Nation One Election' could affect future state assembly elections?
-The script suggests that if 'One Nation One Election' is implemented, state assembly elections held between the simultaneous national elections could have their terms shortened, leading to potential political instability and unnecessary elections.
What is the argument made by P. Chidambaram about the timing and frequency of elections?
-P. Chidambaram argues that politicians are more amenable to public demands during election times and that frequent elections could ensure that politicians remain accountable.

Outlines

00:00

📰 One Nation One Election Critique

The script discusses an article by P Chidambaram in The Indian Express, which criticizes the concept of 'One Nation One Election'. Chidambaram, a former Home Minister, argues that the opposition could easily gather 182 members in the Lok Sabha and 33 in the Rajya Sabha to reject any bill, questioning the necessity of introducing such a bill. The author, Jishan Kaskar, explains that for any bill to become law in India, a two-thirds majority is required in both houses of the parliament, which the ruling party lacks. The script also touches upon the history of the proposal, which was first suggested by the Election Commission in 1983 to streamline the election process and reduce costs. However, the proposal was stalled before it could be enacted into law. The script further discusses the concerns raised by Chidambaram about the composition of the committee formed to study the feasibility of 'One Nation One Election', pointing out the lack of constitutional experts and the potential bias in its members. He also highlights the practical difficulties of conducting simultaneous elections, such as the strain on election machinery and the need to reassemble and retrain staff for every election.

05:02

🗳️ Impact of One Nation One Election

This paragraph delves into the potential impact of implementing 'One Nation One Election' in India. It raises concerns about the feasibility of conducting simultaneous elections, especially in light of the challenges faced in conducting elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The script questions whether the same system that struggles with a single election can handle a nationwide simultaneous election. It also discusses the implications for state assemblies if the proposal were to be implemented, suggesting that the terms of state assemblies elected between 2025 and 2028 would be reduced, potentially leading to instability and frequent elections. The author argues that such frequent elections would be a mockery and would only benefit wealthy political parties and candidates. The paragraph concludes by suggesting that the proposal is a tool for the Chief Minister to control dissatisfied legislators, as the threat of new elections could be used to maintain control. The script also touches on the political implications of the proposal, suggesting that it could be used to test public opinion and is a challenge to the federal structure of India.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡One Nation One Election

One Nation One Election is a concept proposed in India to conduct all state and national elections simultaneously. This aims to reduce the frequency of elections, thereby minimizing the administrative burden and cost. In the script, it is discussed as a proposal that could potentially change the election process in India, with arguments for and against its implementation.

💡Opposition

The term 'Opposition' refers to political parties or groups that are not in power and often challenge or critique the ruling party's policies. In the context of the video, the Opposition is mentioned as being able to gather a certain number of seats in the parliament to potentially block bills, which is a key point of discussion regarding the feasibility of One Nation One Election.

💡Cabinet

The Cabinet in India refers to the executive branch of the government, led by the Prime Minister and other ministers. The script mentions the Cabinet's approval of the One Nation One Election proposal, indicating the government's initiative to push this idea forward.

💡Election Commission

The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering elections in the country. The script refers to the Election Commission's 1983 proposal that suggested conducting simultaneous elections for cost and efficiency benefits, which is a historical context for the current discussion on One Nation One Election.

💡Constitutional Amendment

A Constitutional Amendment is a formal alteration to a constitution, in this case, the Constitution of India. The script discusses the need for a Constitutional Amendment to implement One Nation One Election, as it would require changes to the existing legal framework to accommodate simultaneous elections.

💡Federal Structure

Federal Structure refers to a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units, like states. The video script raises concerns that One Nation One Election could undermine the federal structure by potentially reducing the significance of state governments in the election process.

💡Kovind Committee

The Kovind Committee is a panel mentioned in the script that was formed to study the feasibility of One Nation One Election. The script critiques the composition of this committee, suggesting it lacks constitutional experts, which is a point of contention in the debate around the proposal's legitimacy and effectiveness.

💡Political Parties

Political Parties are organized groups of individuals who share similar political views and compete for political power. The script discusses how political parties might exploit the One Nation One Election system to manipulate their advantage, such as using the threat of new elections to control dissatisfied legislators.

💡Election Manifesto

An Election Manifesto is a public declaration by a political party of its policies and intentions. The script implies that political parties might make promises during elections that they cannot fulfill, using One Nation One Election as a potential strategy to consolidate power and avoid accountability.

💡Voter Fatigue

Voter Fatigue refers to the exhaustion or disengagement of voters due to frequent elections. The script suggests that if elections were held too close together, it could lead to voter fatigue, which might decrease voter turnout and engagement in the democratic process.

💡Constitutional Expert

A Constitutional Expert is someone who has in-depth knowledge of a country's constitution and its legal implications. The script criticizes the lack of such experts in the Kovind Committee, indicating that the proposal for One Nation One Election might not be well-grounded in constitutional law.

Highlights

P. Chidambaram's article in The Indian Express on September 22 criticizes the One Nation One Election concept.

Opposition could potentially gather 182 members in Lok Sabha and 33 in Rajya Sabha to defeat a bill.

The proposal for One Nation One Election was first suggested by the Election Commission of India in 1983.

The proposal aims to reduce the frequency and cost of elections by holding them simultaneously.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee supported the idea of simultaneous elections.

The Law Commission presented reports on the matter, suggesting amendments to synchronize state assembly terms.

The Constitution (One Nation One Election) Bill, 2021 was introduced to amend the Constitution to allow for simultaneous elections.

The proposal has been criticized for potentially undermining the federal structure of India.

Kapil Sibal argues that the basic structure of the Constitution would be impacted by such an amendment.

The cost of elections is a concern, with the argument that frequent elections are expensive.

The proposal could lead to a reduction in the terms of elected state assemblies, causing potential political instability.

There are concerns that the proposal is being used as a political tool to suppress dissenting voices.

The article questions the composition of the committee set up to examine the proposal, suggesting bias.

The article highlights the practical difficulties of implementing simultaneous elections, such as the need to reestablish voting infrastructure.

The impact on the political process is discussed, with concerns that it could favor wealthy parties and candidates.

The article suggests that the proposal could be used to control dissatisfied legislators by threatening new elections.

The article discusses the potential for the proposal to be a test for public opinion rather than a serious policy initiative.

The article concludes by questioning the feasibility and necessity of the One Nation One Election proposal.