One Country One Election will make democracy more strong: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, emphasizing the need for "One Nation One Election", called it an important step towards strengthening India's democracy. He participated in the dialogue program organized by the Joint Parliamentary Committee at a hotel on Mussoorie Road on Wednesday and welcomed all the members including the Chairman of the Committee, Shri PP Chaudhary.
One Country One Election: Initiative to strengthen democracy
Chief Minister Dhami said that the concept of 'One Country One Election' will not only save the resources of the country, but it will also speed up the process of administrative efficiency and policy making. Due to elections being held at different times, the code of conduct is implemented repeatedly in the states, which stalls development work and slows down the pace of governance.
He informed that in the last three years, the code of conduct was in force for a total of 175 days in Uttarakhand due to assembly, Lok Sabha and civic elections. During this period, the administrative machinery was unable to formulate policies and implement development plans. This period is very important for a state with limited resources.
Simultaneous elections are also beneficial from the financial point of view
The Chief Minister said that the entire expenditure of the assembly elections is borne by the state government, while the expenditure of the Lok Sabha elections is borne by the central government. If both the elections are held simultaneously, the financial burden will be equally divided between the two governments and a saving of 30 to 35 percent in the total expenditure is possible. This saving can be invested in important areas like health, education, roads, water, agriculture and women empowerment.
Geographical and seasonal conditions pose problems
Conducting elections in a hilly state like Uttarakhand is a big challenge. The Chief Minister said that between June and September, there is Chardham Yatra and rainy season in the state, which creates obstacles in election activities. Similarly, January to March is the last phase of the financial year and the time of board examinations, when there is already a load on administrative resources.
He also said that it is difficult to reach polling stations in remote areas, which makes the election process long and expensive. Due to frequent elections, people lose enthusiasm for voting and the voting percentage starts decreasing.
Conclusion: One Nation, One Election will give new strength to India
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami clarified that "One Country One Election" is not just an electoral reform, but a powerful means to make democracy more effective, inclusive, and accountable. This will not only increase economic and administrative efficiency, but voters will also be able to play a more active and aware role in the election process.