Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), February 27: Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday emphasized the importance of conducting simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies, stating that continuous elections have become a barrier to the progress and development of the nation. Chouhan’s comments were made during his participation in a seminar focused on ‘One Nation-One Election’ at the Oriental Group of Institutes in Bhopal, where he interacted with students and highlighted the need for a unified election process.
Chouhan stressed that frequent elections divert significant resources, including the time and energy of bureaucrats and political leaders, and hinder long-term national planning. He explained that elections consume considerable manpower, with officers often being deployed across different states, while the government’s focus shifts away from governance. He also pointed out the unnecessary financial burden elections impose on the nation. Furthermore, political parties and governments may hesitate to make substantial decisions because of the constant election cycle, he said.
“There are legal and logistical solutions to the problems outlined in the report of the Ram Nath Kovind committee, which was constituted to address simultaneous elections,” Chouhan added. He explained that if an assembly is dissolved midway, elections for the remaining period can be conducted rather than holding full-term elections, as suggested by the committee’s recommendations. He reiterated that the idea of ‘One Nation-One Election’ is vital to move past the “drama of elections every four months.”
The Union Minister also expressed support for a student-led campaign advocating for the ‘One Nation-One Election’ initiative, congratulating the students for their active involvement in promoting this cause.
Chouhan’s comments come as part of a broader campaign that aims to streamline India’s election process and reduce the frequency of elections, which he believes will pave the way for uninterrupted national development. He also expressed his congratulations to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his team for successfully organizing the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, an event he described as a historic display of India’s cultural unity.
The proposal for simultaneous elections has been a topic of discussion for some time, with many leaders and experts agreeing that it could address several logistical and financial challenges posed by frequent electoral cycles. However, its implementation would require significant constitutional and legal reforms.