Multi-party consultations, political consensus: Kovind Committee member N K Singh on road ahead for ‘one nation, one election’ plan

The Bill that Singh referred to are the Constitutional amendments that the government would have to carry out in order to implement One Nation, One Election.

Asked about the concerns expressed by the Opposition and calls for more consultations on the proposal, Singh said: “This is for the government to consider. And presumably, the government will, I suppose, introduce a Bill based on the decision to hold simultaneous polls. This will go through the rigorous process of multi-party consultation… this involves Parliament, which is the highest policy-making body in the country.”

“I cannot predict what Parliament will decide, but if the Bill goes to Parliament and it so decides, it can refer it to a Standing Committee or a Select Committee, which will undertake consultation. So, I don’t think that’s much of an issue,” he added.

Singh’s comments are significant in the backdrop of Opposition parties on Wednesday criticising the idea of simultaneous polls, warning that such a move would “destroy federalism and compromise democracy”. The TDP, a key ally of the BJP, supported the idea but called for more consultation on the proposal.

The Kovind-led high-level panel had recommended that in order to switch to simultaneous polls, the government should take a “one-time transitory measure”, which would require it to identify an “appointed date” on “the date of the first sitting of the House of the People after a general election”. All state assemblies that go to polls after the “appointed date” would have their terms expire with Lok Sabha. This would synchronise the electoral cycles of the central and state governments.

Then, as the second step, municipality and panchayat elections should be held within 100 days of the Lok Sabha and state elections, it said.

Talking about why simultaneous polls is an idea whose time has come, Singh said the measure would ensure that lawmakers are not distracted from their responsibility towards the electorate.

“Evidence suggests that it (frequent elections) has an impact on the pace of development activities. Repetitive elections sometimes means potential voters traveling long distances… The electorate expects that those elected will devote their attention to improving life quality, better law and order, better life living and security, but instead they are distracted (fighting multiple elections,” he said.

Earlier this year, Singh co-authored a paper with Prachi Mishra, Chief of Systemic Division Issues, International Monetary Fund, that argued that simultaneous elections were likely to aid growth, besides reducing uncertainty in the minds of investors and other societal stakeholders.