New Delhi: The Union cabinet has approved the 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE) Bill, which is likely to be tabled during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, following which it may be forwarded to a joint parliamentary committee.
Since coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been advocating for the plan to hold elections to Lok Sabha, all state Legislative Assemblies, and urban and rural local bodies (municipalities and panchayats) at the same time.
In September, the Union cabinet approved the proposal in the report presented by a high-powered committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind. PM Modi had hailed the proposal, saying, "The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections."
"I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative," PM Modi posted on X.
The high-powered panel recommended holding concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first phase, followed by synchronized local body polls within 100 days.
GDP will rise after ONOE's implementation: Kovind
Former president Ram Nath Kovind said India's GDP will rise by 1 to 1.5 per cent after ONOE's implementation. Stating that the central government "will have to build consensus" for the implementation, he voiced support for holding simultaneous elections to the state assemblies and the Lok Sabha in the country. He asserted that this issue is "not in the interest of any party but the nation".
"The central govt will have to build consensus. This issue is not in the interest of any party but the nation. It will be a game changer - it's not my opinion but of the economists that after its implementation, the country's GDP will rise by 1-1.5 per cent," Kovind said.
