One Nation, One Election is PM's visionary concept: Haryana CM Saini

Chandigarh, Jun 16 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini Monday said the idea of holding simultaneous elections is a vital part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visionary concept of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat".

One Nation, One Election is the need of the hour, he said, adding that the Haryana government extends its in-principle support to the initiative, and its effective implementation will yield multi-dimensional benefits for the country.

In a meeting here with the One Nation One Election (ONOE) Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) headed by BJP MP, P P Chaudhary, Saini put up a strong case favouring the idea of 'ONOE'.

According to an official statement, he said that the implementation of 'One Nation, One Election' will bring significant reforms to the democratic system.

He said frequent elections hinder development work as the administrative machinery remains engaged in the election process, directly affecting the general public.

Citing Haryana as an example, he said that the state has undergone three major elections within the past year: the Lok Sabha elections from March to June 2024, the Assembly elections from August to October, and the Municipal elections from February to March 2025 (referring to the periods when Model Code of Conduct was in force in view of the election process).

Due to the imposition of the model code of conduct during these elections, the pace of development was disrupted, the chief minister said.

The administration was preoccupied with election duties and the public had to bear the consequences. Moreover, the expenditure incurred on elections is also very high, he added.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) said that its delegation which had a meeting with the JPC here has "conditionally supported" the ONOE move.

The INLD said that there should be major reforms in the electoral process. Putting a condition before the JPC, the INLD said that elections in the country and the state should be held on ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines.

The general elections of the country which are conducted in six to seven phases should be conducted in three to four phases only, the opposition party said.

Meanwhile, Saini told the JPC that 'One Nation, One Election' will not only save resources but also reflects the people's sentiment that elections should be held simultaneously to avoid wastage of time and money.

It would also increase public participation in the democratic process. Therefore, everyone should unanimously support this initiative, he told the committee, which is on a four-day visit here.

He suggested that while deciding election dates, socio-cultural factors like agricultural seasons, festivals, wedding seasons, holidays, etc., should be considered to ensure maximum voter participation.

The chief minister said that frequent elections reduce voter enthusiasm, which negatively impacts voter turnout. If elections are held once every five years, it will generate renewed enthusiasm among voters.

He added that ONOE would make it possible to hold elections to both the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies simultaneously. It would ensure uniformity in voter awareness campaigns, better coordination in administrative preparations, and optimal use of resources. PTI SUN OZ OZ