Satish Mahana, Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly speaker, said on Tuesday that the sentiment of ‘One Nation, One Election’ has existed across the country for a long time. He further said the proposed plan would be convenient not only for political leaders but also for the general public.

Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly speaker Satish Mahana. (HT file)

During a meeting with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)—currently reviewing the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024—regarding the proposed ‘One Nation, One Election’ legislation, Mahana said, “Frequent elections impact both the public and public representatives. While everyone’s role and wishes are significant in the electoral process, the repeated cycle of election-related activities—when elections are not held simultaneously—also affects the governance system.”

The committee met Mahana to seek his views and suggestions on holding simultaneous elections. “I, too, have to remain active in the electoral process within my own constituency. A representative ends up spending a significant amount of time on the election process, whereas the public expects continuous work on the development of their area and the resolution of issues. If elections are held simultaneously, representatives will be able to devote more time to public service and development activities,” he said.

Mahana noted that frequent elections keep a large portion of the administrative machinery, security forces, and government resources occupied with the electoral process. Holding simultaneous elections would allow for better utilisation of these resources and ensure that the momentum of development schemes is maintained, said a press statement from his office.

“Public participation is paramount in a democracy. It is essential to consider suggestions from all political parties, constitutional bodies, experts, and the general public while reforming the electoral system,” he said.