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Backing joint polls, Gopinath, Sanyal cite boost to economy, policy continuity

According to her, having fewer elections would reduce uncertainty and boost private investment. Reduction in frequency of polls could improve efficiency and composition of government expenditure as well, she maintained.

Gita Gopinath, Sanjeev Sanyal, boost to economy, policy continuity, One Nation One Election, BJP MP P P Chaudhary, joint polls, Indian express news, current affairsEconomist Gita Gopinath

Economists Gita Gopinath and Sanjeev Sanyal, who appeared Wednesday before a joint committee of Parliament on ‘One Nation, One Election’, were said to have spoken in favour of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Assemblies.

The panel is headed by BJP MP P P Chaudhary. Parliamentary committee proceedings are privileged and details of exchanges between members during meetings are not made public.

Gopinath, a Harvard University Professor and former First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, was of the view that simultaneous elections would be a positive step from the macroeconomic perspective. She was said to have flagged a 5% decline in private investment in an election year.

According to her, having fewer elections would reduce uncertainty and boost private investment. Reduction in frequency of polls could improve efficiency and composition of government expenditure as well, she maintained.

She was also said to have highlighted the recent example of Indonesia, where the first fully simultaneous elections were held in 2024. Indonesia’s experience showed record high spending, logistical challenges and high demand for human resources, leading the country’s Constitutional Court to order partially staggering elections until 2029.

Sanyal, a member of the Ec­on­omic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, was of the view that while simultaneous polls would reduce cost, it couldn’t be the primary reason for holding them. Asynchronous elections, in his view, impose economic costs because of the disruption to policy continuity, diversion of leadership attention to campaigning and violations of the Model Code of Conduct. According to him, simultaneous elections would bring policy continuity and could enhance the stability of the government, leading to an improvement in policy planning.

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More

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