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New Delhi2 hours agoAuthor: Anirudh Sharma
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The government has prepared a roadmap for a single voter list for elections at all three levels (Lok Sabha, Assembly and local bodies).
Amidst the discussion of ‘one country-one election’, the central government has also started preparations to implement ‘one country-one voter list’. He is now waiting for the report of Ramnath Kovind Committee. The Kovind Committee formed to consider and give suggestions on ‘One Country-One Election’ also has to give suggestions on ways to implement the single voter list.
The government has prepared a roadmap for a single voter list for elections at all three levels (Lok Sabha, Assembly and local bodies). There is a plan to get all the states to agree to this. For this, not only will there be a change in the way the Election Commission prepares the voter list, but there will also be a need for change in the election related laws of the states.
Law Commission and Election Commission had recommended
The Law Commission and the Election Commission have long recommended ‘One Country-One Voter List’. In August, the parliamentary committee had asked the government to make a plan to implement it in consultation with the states and parties, keeping in mind the constitutional provisions and the rights of the states.
In the current situation, implementing a voter list in the country under Article 325 of the Constitution is beyond the scope of the Central Government. Presently there are separate lists for Lok Sabha, Assembly and local bodies.
It is estimated that Rs 1.20 lakh crore will be spent on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Everything you need to know…
What is the arrangement now?
Lok Sabha-Assembly elections are the responsibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI). Whereas local body elections like Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council and Gram Panchayat come under the purview of the State Election Commission. The Constitution has given both the election agencies the right to prepare their own voter lists.
It is not necessary that the boundaries of the ECI polling station match the boundaries of the wards and panchayats of the local body. State commissions generally use the ECI voter list as a draft. They mark their wards in it and call claims and objections by including their data. Then the final list is released.
What is the new proposal?
Just as the boundaries of the assembly seats within the parliamentary seat are within the limits of the same Lok Sabha seat, in the same way the boundaries of wards and panchayats should also be kept within the boundaries of the assembly seat. For this the election laws of the states will have to be changed.
It is not necessary that the boundaries of the ECI polling station match the boundaries of the wards and panchayats of the local body.
Where is the problem in single voter list?
According to former Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat, by amending the Constitution in 2002, a restriction was imposed that delimitation would not take place after 2026 until the census data comes. But there was no such restriction for Municipalities and Panchayats in the State Act. This restriction will also have to be imposed in the Municipality and Panchayat Act for a voter list.
Why separate list of states?
States are not able to use the ECI list due to eligibility dates. The eligibility date to join the list of states is January 1. That means, if one has completed 18 years of age on or after January 2, he has to wait for one year. Whereas the Central Government has fixed 4 dates for eligibility by amending the law. These are January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1.
This is the situation now..
9 states – UP, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Assam, MP, Kerala, Arunachal, Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir do not use the ECI voter list. They make separate lists.
Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar use the latest voter list of ECI, Sikkim and Gujarat use the final voter list of ECI and the remaining 17 states use the draft voter list of ECI.
Even if all the elections from Lok Sabha to Assembly and local bodies are conducted simultaneously, the total expenditure may come to Rs 10 lakh crore.
Through these methods, an election worth up to Rs 5 lakh crore is possible.
Head of the Center for Media Studies, analyst N. Bhaskar Rao estimates that ‘even if all the elections from Lok Sabha to Assembly and local bodies are held simultaneously, the total expenditure may come to Rs 10 lakh crore.
- It is estimated that Rs 1.20 lakh crore will be spent on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
- If assembly elections are held simultaneously in the country, Rs 3 lakh crore may be spent. Total assembly seats are 4500.
- If urban body elections are held simultaneously, additional expenditure of Rs 1 lakh crore will be incurred. The urban body has 500 seats.
- Similarly, if Zilla Parishad (650 seats), Mandal (7000 seats) and Gram Panchayat (2.5 lakh seats) are also together, then Rs 4.30 lakh crore can be spent.
However, if the voting period is one week and the parties strictly follow the code of conduct, then this expenditure can come down to Rs 3 to 5 lakh crore. However, they say that simultaneous elections alone will not reduce expenses. Strict adherence to the model code of conduct will play an important role in this.
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