Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Tiers apart: On the ‘one nation, one election’ trial balloon

Tiers apart: On the ‘one nation, one election’ trial balloon

‘One nation, one election’ militates against federalism (संघवाद) and multi-tiered governance

In a multi-tiered governance system such as the one in India, a Union of States, electoral democracy works by allowing people to choose their representatives for each tier based on their perception (धारणा) of who is best suited to represent them for each specific tier. There is a reason why there is a demarcation (सीमांकन, विभाजन) of power between the Union, States and local body institutions and why there is a voter mandate (जनादेश, शासनादेश) every five years to elect representatives for Parliament, Assemblies and local bodies. The demarcation allows for specific roles for each representative across these tiers and suggests varied (विभिन्न) voter choices that could be based on party affiliation (संबद्धता), candidate strength, ideological positions or simple socio-economic reasons specific to each constituency. That some States such as Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim hold simultaneous Assembly and parliamentary polls is a coincidence as their electoral cycle has coalesced (मिल जाना, इकठ्ठा होना) with that of parliamentary polls. The BJP-led Union government’s trial balloon, exploring the feasibility (व्यवहार्यता) of simultaneous elections for all levels through a committee led by former President Ramnath Kovind, militates against the foundational idea of multi-tiered governance and is anti-federalist. Dangerously, one of the committee’s terms of reference — to “examine and recommend, if the amendments to the Constitution [for the purpose of holding simultaneous elections] would require ratification (अनुसमर्थन, संपुष्टि) by the States” — is a proposition that is anti-constitutional and will not stand legal scrutiny (जांच). It also advances a motive that would curtail many Assemblies much before their scheduled tenures — an untenable prospect.

Ostensibly, the proposal speaks of the need for simultaneous elections as a cost-cutting exercise allowing voting in parliamentary, Assembly, municipal and panchayat elections in one go. It also stems from the flawed (दोषपूर्ण, त्रुटिपूर्ण) notion that governments are forever in campaign mode because of frequent Assembly elections. First, there is no study to prove that there will be significant cost-saving with simultaneous elections and in any case, the costs incurred in the conduct of elections are not essentially wasteful as there is a multiplier effect to campaign spending and economic activity around polls. Elections for different levels also allow voters to hold their representatives to account and for their specific grievances to be noted. Second, the conduct of various elections at different points of time is to only elect representatives for these tiers and is not a referendum on just one tier or even an individual leader at every point of time, as the BJP has sought to make it. Those in civil and political society who are committed to India’s federal structure should argue for separation of the Lok Sabha election from polls to Assemblies as the campaign issues and democratic choices vary. In any case, unless the term of each Lok Sabha and Assembly is fixed, and premature dissolution (विघटन) for whatever reason is barred, the idea is unworkable.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Federalism (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघवाद
English Meaning - A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and individual states or provinces, allowing each level of government to have its own set of powers and responsibilities.

2.Perception (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - धारणा
English Meaning - Perception is how we interpret sensory information from our environment to understand the world.

3.Mandate (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - जनादेश, शासनादेश
English Meaning - Typically refers to an official order or command given by an authority or government to carry out a specific action, often with the backing of laws or regulations.

4.Demarcation (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - सीमांकन, विभाजन
English Meaning - The act of defining or marking the boundaries or limits of something.

5.Varied (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विभिन्न
English Meaning - Diverse or having many different forms, types, or elements.

6.Affiliation (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - संबद्धता
English Meaning - The act of officially joining or associating with a group, organization, or institution.

7.Coalesced (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - मिल जाना, इकठ्ठा होना
English Meaning - To come together or unite to form a single entity or whole.

8.Feasibility (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - व्यवहार्यता
English Meaning - Feasibility refers to the practicality or possibility of something being accomplished or implemented.

9.Ratification (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनुसमर्थन, संपुष्टि
English Meaning - The formal approval or acceptance of something, often through a vote or official process.

10.Scrutiny (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - जांच
English Meaning - Scrutiny is the careful examination or inspection of something.

11.Flawed (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दोषपूर्ण, त्रुटिपूर्ण
English Meaning - Having imperfections or defects; not perfect.

12.Dissolution (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - विघटन
English Meaning - The act of ending, disbanding, or breaking apart, often referring to the termination of an organization or the process of a solid dissolving into a liquid.

13.Millitates (Verb)

English Meaning - To oppose or work against something, typically a problem or obstacle.