Under the matter of urgent public importance, “One Nation One Election” was discussed on the final day of the sixth session of the 14th NLA at the NLA Hall, Kohima on 8th March 2025.
MLA, Achumbemo Kikon addressing the issue stated that the One Nation One Election (ONOE) initiative greatly concerns the Nagas and the introduction of the same would defeat the federal structure laid down by the Indian Constitution. India being one of the most diverse countries in the world with multiple ethnicities and diverse history, a one-size-fits-all approach is only wishful thinking and a detriment to the democratic features of the country, he said.
Achumbemo emphasized that most of the countrymen live in rural areas where regional parties play a crucial role in the electoral process by addressing the local issues, and that introduction of ONOE would sideline these issues as National parties would mostly address issues of national interest. He is apprehensive that use of money, power and government machinery by the National parties will also be rampant if ONOE is implemented.
Speaking on the matter of election expenditure, Kikon said that the reduction in the cost cannot be at the cost of federalism but instead stringent measures should be taken up for regulation of the same.
Kikon argued that while countries like South Africa, Sweden and Belgium have been successful in practicing ONOE, implementing the same in India would prove to be a difficult task due to large population of the country and the complex Party-list Proportional System used alongside ONOE. He said ONOE is a farfetched reality for Indian electorates for now, and a time will surely come when ONOE will be necessary. Kikon also reminded the House that introduction of ONOE will lead to a One Party rule akin to a communist government which will invite chaos and threaten Indian democracy.
He concluded by stating that he strongly objects and does not subscribe to the ONOE initiative, and urged the House to thoroughly discuss the issue at an appropriate time.
Statement of Chief Minster DR. Neiphiu Rio on One Nation One Election
Chief Minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio made a statement to the matter of urgent public importance raised under Rule 54 of ‘One Nation One Election’ raised by the MLA Achumbemo Kikon at the sixth session of the 14th Assembly on 8th March 2025.
Dr. Neiphiu Rio in his statement said that “One Nation One Election” has been proposed to be introduced in the country through the 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha on 17th December 2024.
Rio stated that after fierce debate in Parliament, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla forwarded the bills to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) consisting of 27 Lok Sabha and 12 Rajya Sabha members. Rio added that the JPC has met twice to discuss the feasibility of the implementation of the Bill, however, the final recommendation is yet to be made.
Rio said that bills were based on the recommendations of an 8-member High-Level Committee and further the Committee had submitted its recommendations to the President.
Rio also rationalised on the objective of the bill and said that elections have become expensive and time consuming. Also adding on the imposition of Model Code of Conduct in several parts of the country that are poll bound puts on hold the entire development programmes, cause disruption of normal public life, impact the functioning of services and also curtail the involvement of manpower from their core activities for deployment for prolonged periods for election duties.
Rio also highlighted various important actions points which are to be taken after the Bill is passed and the implication of it in terms of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA). Rio also highlighted in length the simultaneous elections norm from the first General Election in 1951 until 1967 and 1967 onwards.
Rio in his concluding statement said that it would be improper to make any further comment on the matter since the Bill is still being considered by a Joint Parliamentary Committee constituted by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
(Thungbeni Humtsoe APRO, Esuihangle IA, Siizo Kikhi IA)
