Lucknow
On Wednesday, BSP Chief Mayawati endorsed the ‘One Nation, One Election’ system following the Union Cabinet’s acceptance of the high-level committee’s recommendations, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. In a post on X, Mayawati expressed her party’s positive stance on the proposal for simultaneous Lok Sabha, Assembly, and local body elections. She emphasized that the aim of this system must serve the national and public interest.
The High-Level Committee’s report, recently submitted to President Droupadi Murmu, outlines the benefits of conducting elections across all levels—central, state, and local—at the same time. It argues that frequent elections can lead to uncertainty and disrupt policy making, whereas simultaneous elections could enhance policy stability, streamline governance, and boost voter turnout. It also points out economic advantages, such as reduced financial strain on the government and more efficient resource use.
The report, compiled over 191 days of research and totaling 18,626 pages, also includes provisions for handling situations like hung parliaments or no-confidence motions, suggesting that new elections could be held if necessary. It recommends that municipal and panchayat elections be synchronized with national and state elections and conducted within 100 days. This proposal would need the approval of at least half of the states. Overall, the report suggests that simultaneous elections could strengthen democracy, improve voter confidence, and promote development.
