One Nation, One Election : Disadvantages

According to this theory, all elections have to take place on the same day every five years. Reformers and reports who are backing this theory suggest that by doing so, we would be able to save costs, resources and time.

A report published inThe Indian Express which suggests that between Rs 9,500-10,500 crore was spent by various political parties and their candidates in the Karnataka assembly polls.

Among many other ideas, ‘One Nation, One Election’ is a reform which the present central government is exploring.
This idea was put forth by the Election Commission as early as in 1983.

Once the voter enters the polling station, whether he votes for one election or two or three – it is the same thing.

Here are some disadvantages of this idea:-

1. Overshadowing the states

As implementing this idea is a bigger ‘centralised’ agenda which would overshadow the states and their regional issues.The current diffused system allows every state to push their individual agenda during state elections which is something that would be very much difficult to do in collective polls.

2. Reduced mind-share of state-level parties

As Separate state elections allow all the regional parties to attract the voters in the gap between central polls as one would be voting separately for the Union and the state elections. Combining state and national polls will give an undue advantage to all the national parties over state-level parties.

3. Hung assemblies, coalition shifts

While the theory of a unified election sounds straightforward and elegant but the framework still does not satisfactorily address that what will happen in situations necessitating fresh elections before the five-year term lapses . Like a hung assembly, or if the assembly is dissolved due to a no-confidence motion etc. This system is almost inevitable and will break the system all over again.

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