Prashant Kishor, chief of Jan Suraaj Abhiyan, on Thursday said that if implemented with the right intent, the ‘One Nation, One Election’ can be beneficial for the country. “If implemented with the right intent, this idea would be highly beneficial for the nation,” said Prashant Kishor.
Kishor highlighted that the proposal’s success will depend heavily on the purpose and intention behind its implementation. “I welcomed the idea if it is pursued to benefit the nation, but also cautioned against its misuse. If this law targets or harms specific groups, it could have negative consequences. The honesty and integrity of the government’s approach will determine its success,” Kishor said.
Drawing on his extensive experience in electoral politics, Kishor highlighted that around one-fourth of the country’s population votes every year due to frequent elections across various states and levels of government. This continuous election cycle, he explained, often prevents those in power from focusing fully on governance, as they are always in election mode. By consolidating elections to occur once or twice in a term, Kishor believes that not only would the government have more time to focus on governance, but also time and resources – both for the government and the public – would be saved.
“The ‘One Nation One Election’ concept adds to the broader conversation on electoral reforms, where the aim is to streamline elections across the country for greater efficiency and governance stability,” Kishor said. “The electoral process that has been in place for the last 50 years cannot be changed overnight. The government should allow 4-5 years to implement such a significant change gradually,” he said.
–IANS
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