India could save Rs 4.5 lakh crore by implementing ONOE concept
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Synopsis
India could save Rs 4.5 lakh crore, about 1.5% of GDP, by adopting the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) concept. A BJP meeting emphasized ONOE's potential for reducing government expenditures and improving resource efficiency.
Key Takeaways
- Potential savings of Rs 4.5 lakh crore
- 1.5% of GDP savings
- Commitment to One Nation, One Election
- Reduction in election-related spending
- Historical context of synchronized elections
Raipur, April 9 (NationPress) India stands to potentially save an impressive Rs 4.5 lakh crore — which is about 1.5 percent of the country’s GDP — if all elections are conducted at the same time under the “One Nation, One Election” (ONOE) initiative.
This groundbreaking proposal was the center of attention during a high-level meeting at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) state headquarters in the capital of Chhattisgarh.
The Chhattisgarh BJP underscored the financial ramifications of elections through a post on the social media platform X, reaffirming its dedication to the ONOE resolution.
The party pointed out that approximately Rs 1.35 lakh crore was expended during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, nearly double the Rs 60,000 crore spent in 2019.
The BJP’s state unit characterized ONOE as a means to reduce unnecessary government spending and promote the prudent use of resources for the national benefit.
“Conducting general elections and state assembly elections together demands a vast amount of Rs 4-7 lakh crore,” the meeting noted.
Throughout the lengthy discussion, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, BJP’s state in-charge Nitin Nabin Sinha, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, state Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap, and other senior leaders examined the advantages of synchronized elections.
The idea of simultaneous elections is not a novel concept in India. After the Constitution was adopted, elections for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies were held together from 1951 to 1967.
This practice began with the initial general elections in 1951-52 and continued for the next three cycles in 1957, 1962, and 1967.
However, this synchronization was interrupted in 1968 and 1969 due to the premature dissolution of certain State Legislative Assemblies.
The Fourth Lok Sabha was also dissolved early in 1970, resulting in fresh elections in 1971. While the First, Second, and Third Lok Sabha completed their full five-year terms, the Fifth Lok Sabha’s duration was extended until 1977 under Article 352 during the Emergency.
Since then, only a handful of Lok Sabha terms — such as the Eighth, Tenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth — have completed the full five years, with others concluding prematurely.
To assess the viability of ONOE, the Government of India established a High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections on September 2, 2023, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
The committee conducted extensive consultations with the public, political stakeholders, and experts to analyze the benefits and challenges of this electoral reform.
Its report includes key findings, proposed constitutional amendments, and the expected impact of simultaneous elections on governance, resource distribution, and public sentiment.
The ONOE concept holds the potential to usher in a new era of efficiency and progress, transforming India’s electoral framework, as noted in the BJP’s meeting on Wednesday.
