`One Nation, One Election' Will Reduce Expenditure: Maharashtra CM Shinde

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde welcomed the Union cabinet's decision to adopt the recommendations of a high-level panel for simultaneous elections. He noted that conducting elections at different times often leads to delays in developmental projects.

“Development works get stalled due to frequent imposition of the model code of conduct, and the proposed reform will avoid it,” Shinde told reporters.

“It will also save on election expenditure,” he said, adding that the Opposition must not politicise the issue.

The High-Level Committee on 'One Nation-One Election,' chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, released a report indicating that frequent elections foster an atmosphere of uncertainty and can hinder policy decisions. The committee states that simultaneous elections would enhance certainty in policymaking.

This comprehensive report, spanning 18,626 pages, is the result of extensive consultations with stakeholders, experts, and research conducted over 191 days, following the committee's formation on September 2, 2023. The report was submitted to President Murmu on March 14, 2024. It emphasizes the benefits of simultaneous elections, including increased convenience for voters, reduced voter fatigue, and the potential for higher voter turnout.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi , has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections under the chairmanship of former President Shri Ram Nath Kovind.