The issue of one-nation-one-election has suddenly become alive. The government has set up a committee to study the prospects of this proposal under the chairmanship of former President of India Ramnath Kovind.
There is no certainty who has brought the concept of one-nation-one-election in the country. But a biographical book on former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat – Dharati Putra Bhairon Singh Shekhawat – claims that Shekhawat after quitting the post had discussed this concept with former prime minister of India Manmohan Singh on July 21, 2007.
According to author retired IPS Bahadur Singh Rathore, who had been private secretary to Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for 10 years, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had come for a courtesy visit to Bhairon Singh Shekhawat after he had resigned from the post of Vice President. Singh asked him to suggest about important agenda on which UPA government could work.
Bahadur Singh Rathore, author of the book
Shekhawat then told Singh that the government should work on conducting Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously across the country – the concept of one-nation-one-election.
“This can save money, resources, energy and time of everyone. This will also curtail corruption as then political parties need not to be funded separately for Lok Sabha and assembly polls. Apart from that, the work will also not get hampered due to repeated code of conduct,” written in the book.
Bahadur Singh Rathore said that Shekhawat used to be concerned about election reforms, which can make politics easier and more effectively. The concept of one-nation-one-election was also part of that.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
