Wed Sep 18 15:29:54 UTC 2024: ## India Moves Towards ‘One Nation, One Election’: Cabinet Approves Proposal
**New Delhi:** In a significant move towards holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, the Indian Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal. This long-discussed concept aims to streamline the electoral process and reduce the expenditure associated with frequent elections.
The proposal, which was first mooted in the 1980s, is a major step towards achieving a unified election calendar. A high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind was tasked with exploring the feasibility of simultaneous elections. The committee’s report, submitted in March this year, advocated for constitutional amendments to make ‘One Nation, One Election’ a reality.
The Cabinet’s approval of the proposal is a major step forward. The bill is likely to be introduced in the upcoming winter session of Parliament. The committee’s report, spanning 18,626 pages, also recommended merging elections for municipalities and panchayats with the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. This, however, would require approval from more than half of the states.
To implement the ‘One Nation, One Election’ system, the committee has proposed 18 constitutional amendments. This comes after a gap of over 50 years since simultaneous elections were last held in India, from 1951 to 1967. However, the practice was discontinued due to premature dissolution of some state assemblies and the Lok Sabha in 1970.
The implementation of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal is expected to have far-reaching consequences for Indian democracy. The government believes that it will ensure a more efficient and cost-effective electoral process, leading to greater participation and political stability.
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