"Impractical Proposition": MK Stalin On 'One Nation One Election'

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin said the ‘One Nation One Election‘ plan by union government is an impractical proposition that ignores the complexities of India’s diverse electoral system and undermines federalism. “It is logistically unfeasible, given the vast differences in election cycles, regional issues, and governance priorities. It will require an unrealistic alignment of all terms of office, disrupting the natural course of governance,” he said in an X post.

He also added that the proposal is simply a move to satisfy the BJP’s ego, but they will never be able to implement it. “India’s democracy cannot be bent to suit the greed of one party. Union government should address pressing issues like unemployment, price rise and equitable distribution of resources to States instead of wasting energy on these diversionary tactics,” Stalin said.

Meanwhile, the Union government on Wednesday, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind. According to a press release, the committee’s report, based on consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, recommends implementing simultaneous elections in two phases. The proposal aims to reduce the frequency of elections and create a common electoral roll for all elections, with detailed discussions set to follow across the country.

According to a government press release, simultaneous elections were previously held between 1951 and 1967, and various reports, including the Law Commission’s 170th report (1999) and the Parliamentary Committee’s 79th Report (2015), have called for returning to this practice.

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Key recommendations include holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections together in the first phase, followed by local body elections within 100 days. A common electoral roll is also proposed, alongside nationwide consultations and the formation of an implementation group. The government report is available online for public access.