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

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post If Implemented With Right Intent, ‘One Nation, One Election’ Will Be Beneficial: Prashant Kishor appeared first on The Commune.

During the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE) policy as a long-standing demand of the people. According to sources, he emphasised that there is no political motive behind its approval. PM Modi stated that the ONOE initiative is designed with the interests of the public in mind.

He highlighted that frequent elections can hinder effective governance and disrupt law and order, which is detrimental to the country. Moreover, PM Modi mentioned that this policy’s key aspect will be educating citizens about its essential features, sources said. He concluded by asserting that the policy respects the wishes of the people who have long sought this change. PM Modi’s assertion of no political motive behind the approval of the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) policy gains importance in light of Opposition allegations that the government’s agenda is “politically motivated”.

Earlier, PM Modi wrote in a post on X: “The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative.” Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind.

The Cabinet has approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative, which aims to synchronise elections for both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday following the cabinet meeting. A committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind has recommended amendments to the last five articles of the Constitution to facilitate simultaneous polling across the country. The report was submitted to President Droupadi Murmu in March, in advance of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Reports indicate that a bill to implement this initiative is expected to be introduced in Parliament during the upcoming winter session.

–IANS

Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post PM Modi Asserts No Political Motive Behind ‘One Nation, One Election’ Initiative: Sources appeared first on The Commune.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday welcomed the Cabinet nod for ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE), saying this will pave the way for a giant leap towards landmark electoral reforms in the country.

Taking to X, the Home Minister wrote: “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharat has been witnessing transformative reforms. Today, in this direction, Bharat takes a giant stride towards landmark electoral reforms with the Union Cabinet accepting the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on One Nation One Election.” The proposal for conducting simultaneous Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections under the ONOE and the recommendations of the former President Ram Nath Kovind-led panel were accepted by the Union Cabinet earlier in the day.

The committee headed by former President Kovind had submitted the report in March and was placed before the Cabinet on Wednesday, for getting its nod. A Bill to the same effect is likely to be brought in the next session of Parliament. Amit Shah further said that the ONOE clearance reflects PM Modi’s iron will to bolster democracy through clean and financially efficient elections, adding it will accelerate economic growth through more productive allocation of resources.

BJP President J.P. Nadda also appreciated the move and said that this will go a long way in streamlining the electoral process. “The current system of holding elections at different times across states hampers development efforts and burdens the national treasury. This landmark decision aims to streamline the electoral process and ensure better governance,” J.P. Nadda said. He further said that adopting “One Nation, One Election” will help lower election-related expenses and financial burden on the government.

Notably, the recommendations made by a high-level panel led by Ram Nath Kovind lays out a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of simultaneous elections. The panel has recommended conducting concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies as the first phase, to be followed by synchronised local body polls within a 100-day period.

–IANS

Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post Bharat Takes A Giant Stride Towards Electoral Reforms: Amit Shah On ONOE’s Cabinet Nod appeared first on The Commune.