Calling it a reform that will “redefine the terms of good governance”, President Droupadi Murmu said the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill will help check “policy paralysis, mitigate resource division, and reduce financial burden”.
“Reforms of such magnitude require an audacity of vision. Another measure that promises to redefine the terms of good governance is the Bill introduced in Parliament to synchronise election schedules in the country. The ‘One Nation One Election’ plan can promote consistency in governance, prevent policy paralysis, mitigate resource diversion, and reduce the financial burden, apart from offering many other benefits,” said President Murmu addressing the nation on the eve of 76th Republic Day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has frequently emphasised the need for simultaneous polls, arguing that the country incurs significant costs and disruptions from ongoing election seasons.
Former president Ram Nath Kovind, who headed a panel on ‘one nation, one election,’ has said that the idea of simultaneous polls was perceived by the framers of the Constitution and therefore it cannot be unconstitutional. He pointed out that the first four Lok Sabha and assembly polls were held together till 1967, asking how could synchronised polls be dubbed as unconstitutional.
The Congress has argued that the simultaneous polls idea is against the basic structure of the Constitution and that it would oppose it “tooth and nail”. It has also called the idea of ‘one nation, one election’ anti-democratic and anti-federal.
Apart from syncing electoral cycles, there is no real clarity on how to deal with breaks due to dissolution of Houses, President’s Rule, or even a hung Assembly or Parliament.
The President emphasised the government’s ongoing efforts to “eliminate remnants of a colonial mindset that have lingered in the country for decades” and cited the replacement of the British-era criminal laws with three new modern laws.
“We have been witnessing concerted efforts to change that mindset… Reforms of such magnitude require an audacity of vision,” she said.
She mentioned the introduction of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, which prioritise the delivery of justice over mere punishment and place a strong emphasis on addressing crimes against women and children.
The President also pointed to the persistently high economic growth rate in recent years, which has generated job opportunities, increased income for farmers and labourers, and lifted many out of poverty.
She underscored the importance of inclusive growth and the government’s commitment to welfare, making basic necessities such as housing and access to clean drinking water entitlements for citizens.
Efforts to support marginalised communities, particularly those belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), were also highlighted.
The President highlighted the inclusive nature of the Constituent Assembly, which represented diverse communities across the nation, including 15 women members who played pivotal roles in shaping the country’s democratic framework.
“When women’s equality was a distant goal in many parts of the world, Indian women were actively engaged in the nation’s destiny,” she said.
The Constitution, according to the President, has evolved into a living document that serves as the foundation of India’s collective identity and has guided the nation’s progress over the past 75 years.
The President praised the early 20th-century freedom fighters for uniting the nation in a well-organised independence movement and credited iconic figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, and Babasaheb Ambedkar for helping India rediscover its democratic values.
“Justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity are not just modern concepts; they have always been integral to our civilisational heritage,” she asserted, noting that skeptics of the Constitution’s future were proven wrong.