'One Nation, One Election' to Be Implemented in Modi 3.0, Census Exercise To Begin Soon: Sources

The BJP-led NDA government will implement ‘one nation, one election’ during its tenure, sources told News18. They also said the census exercise will begin soon and statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir in minimum possible time post elections.

The sources said that ‘one nation, one election’ ‘will be a reality’. “Definitely, it will be implemented in this tenure itself,” they said.

In his Independence Day address last month, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, advocated for ‘one nation, one election,’ arguing that frequent elections create impediments for the country’s progress.

“The nation has to come forward for ‘one nation, one election’,” Modi had said in his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

The prime minister had urged the political parties “from the Red Fort and with the national tricolour as a witness to ensure the nation’s progress”.

As the third term of the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes 100 days in office, the sources said that the cohesion within the ruling alliance will continue for the rest of the tenure.

He also asked the parties to ensure that national resources are used for the common person and said, “We have to come forward to realise the dream of ‘one nation, one election’.” ‘One nation, one election’ is one of the key promises made by the BJP in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.

A high-level panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind in March this year recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.

Separately, the Law Commission is likely to recommend holding simultaneous polls for all three tiers of government — Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats — starting with 2029 and a provision for unity government in cases like hung house or no-confidence motion.

The Kovind panel has not specified any period for rolling out simultaneous polls.

It has proposed creation of an ‘Implementation Group’ to look into the execution of the panel’s recommendations.

The panel recommended as many as 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by the state assemblies.

However, these would require certain Constitution amendment bills that would need to be passed by Parliament.