Delivering his 11th consecutive Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all political parties to back the 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE) initiative to facilitate India's consistent development.
"Frequent elections in the country are impeding progress," PM Modi asserted.
"Linking every scheme to elections has become a routine practice, as polls are held every few months. The media often depicts these schemes as election-driven announcements," the Prime Minister remarked.
Drawing attention to the impact of continual elections on India's development, the Prime Minister stated, "Every developmental project suffers due to these frequent elections, which is why extensive discussions were held with all political parties."
He also pointed out that a committee has presented a comprehensive report suggesting that the "nation must adopt 'One Nation, One Election' to ensure growth and progress."
With the "national Tricolour as a witness," the Prime Minister, addressing the nation from the Red Fort, appealed to all political factions and parties to support the realization of 'One Nation, One Election' for the steady advancement and efficient use of India's resources.
'One Nation, One Election' is when elections for both the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies are held together once in five years. Panchayat elections, municipal elections, and by-elections would be kept out of this ambit. Any such plan would require an amendment to the Constitution, the adoption of which requires the endorsement of 50 percent of the States.
A NITI Aayog report has said that in the past 30 years, there is not a single year without an election either to the Lok Sabha or State Assembly, and sometimes both.
It said that MCC prevents the government from launching new projects, development works, or policy decisions till the completion of elections.
According to the proponents of the ONOE, it causes a tangle in state machinery, which is called "policy paralysis."
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