DHARAMSALA: Former Chief Minister and Union Minister, Shanta Kumar, has passionately voiced his support for the "One Country, One Election" concept, highlighting its critical importance for contemporary India. This advocacy comes in the wake of the committee's report led by former President Shri Ramnath Kovind, which has endorsed the idea, urging swift implementation.
In a press note issued here today, Kumar emphasized the transformative potential of synchronizing elections across all levels of governance, from Panchayats to Parliament, within a consolidated six-month period every five years. Such a reform, he argues, would allow the nation to dedicate four and a half years to uninterrupted development, free from the cyclic distractions of electoral campaigns.
The financial implications are staggering, according to Kumar. He points out that the current electoral system, with staggered elections every five years, incurs an expenditure of approximately ₹15 lakh crore. A unified election cycle could slash this cost to just ₹5 lakh crore, unlocking ₹10 lakh crore in savings. These funds, he suggests, could dramatically mitigate India's poverty and unemployment within two years.
Reflecting on India's electoral history, Kumar reminisced about the initial decades post-independence when elections for both the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies were conducted simultaneously, a practice that significantly curtailed campaign expenditures. However, post-1967, this system fragmented, leading to continuous electoral activity and excessive financial outlays. Kumar criticized this as a deviation unique to India, contrasting with other democracies where elections are held uniformly every five years.
Highlighting the logistical and financial inefficiencies of the current system, he noted the staggering number of 30 separate legislative assembly elections between 2019 and 2024, alongside numerous by-elections and local body polls. Kumar labeled this approach as unprecedented globally and called for a strategic shift towards a singular, nationwide electoral exercise.
Urging the government to prioritize the committee's recommendations, Shanta Kumar envisions a streamlined electoral process as a cornerstone for India's leap towards eliminating poverty and achieving robust economic development. His plea for adopting "One Country, One Election" is a call for not only economic rationality but a fundamental reshaping of India's political landscape towards sustained progress.