Debates surrounding ‘One Nation, One Election’ are gaining momentum in the country. Ever since the government’s move, the political rhetoric surrounding the contentious bill has increased manifold. While proponents suggest that the bill is driven by a desire to streamline the electoral process and mitigate the challenges pertaining to the existing system, critics term the reform as a threat to the country’s federal structure.
Though not new to the country’s electoral process, the concept of “One Nation, One Election” is being touted as a way to significantly reduce electoral expenses, as separate elections for the Lok Sabha and different state assemblies incur repeated expenditure. First mooted in the early 1950s and actually practiced until a few years ago, the practice, however, stood dissolved due to a number of factors, including defections, dismissals, and dissolutions of governments.
However, despite not being practiced in India, there are several countries in the world where all elections are held simultaneously. Let’s take a look at the system and developments in these countries.
The concept of simultaneous elections is currently being practiced in three countries, namely Belgium, Sweden, and South Africa. Recently, in line with this, Sweden also held its elections simultaneously, joining the list of countries following the ‘One Nation, One Election’ formula.
Sweden’s simultaneous polls:
It’s not widely recognized that Sweden conducts elections for its county and municipal councils concurrently with the general elections (known as elections to the Riksdag), held every four years. These elections occur on the same day, and Sweden employs a proportional electoral system, wherein parties are allocated a number of representatives in the elected assembly proportionate to their share of the vote.
Belgium’s Electoral System:
Belgium’s Federal Parliament elections align with European Parliament elections, with both occurring every five years. This synchronized approach guarantees a cohesive electoral process, fostering increased voter participation and administrative efficiency.
The South African Election System:
South Africa has had a synchronized election system, and it is widely acknowledged for contributing to the promotion of stability and democracy in the country. South Africa employs a party-list proportional representation system, where seats are distributed to parties according to their share of the vote.
