NEWS: The Joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on One Nation One Election held that simultaneous polls could save nearly Rs. 7 lakh crore and boost GDP growth by up to 1.6%.

About One Nation One Election

·         It refers toà the idea of conducting simultaneous elections for all three tiers of government- the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and local bodies (Panchayats and Municipalities).

The JPC is scrutinising two proposed legislations related to simultaneous elections:

·         The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024

·         The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Significance

·         Simultaneous electionsà Will reduce costs of conducting elections and streamline the time-consuming process, aiding economic growth.

·         Frequent electionsà lead to repeated imposition of Model Code of Conduct, which disrupts developmental activities.

·         Simultaneous elections will promote long-term development and welfare policies.

·         Resource Preservation and Sustained Governanceà Minimizes the frequent diversion of administrative machinery such as teachers and security forces.

Expert Institutions recommending Simultaneous Elections

·         Law Commission of India (170th Report of 1999, 255th Report of 2015, Draft Report 2018)

·         Parliamentary Standing Committee Report (2015)

·         Working Paper of NITI Aayog (2017)

·         High-Level Committee Chaired by Former President Ramnath Kovind (2023)

o   Recommended phased implementationà Elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies together and to local bodies within 100 days after that.

Challenges in Implementation

·         Amendments to constitutional provisions (e.g. Articles 83, 172, 327) and changes to the Representation of the People Act, 1951 are required.

·         Premature Dissolutionsà E.g. Managing a "Hung Assembly" or a government falling to a no-confidence motion before completing its term.

·         Logistical Deficitsà Demands a massive infrastructure scale-up, including an estimated Rs 9,300 crore for additional EVMs, VVPATs. (NITI Aayog)

·         Overshadowing of Local Issuesà May lead to "nationalization" of local issues, potentially marginalizing regional parties and local developmental issues.