India Editor’s Note Foundation Dear Readers, Journal One of the banes of governance in India is that its body politic has to be in a perennial election mode. This is due to historical developments when political instability at the centre and states made it impossible for legislatures to complete their terms, made worse by the Vol. V Issue No.1 indiscriminate use of Article 356 to dismiss ‘unfriendly’ state governments. Synchronous elections of Lok Sabha and state legislatures were last held in 1967 and going by present trends of January-February 2017 political stability reinforced by provisions of the anti-defection law, it is likely to be the last. But should this state of affairs be perpetuated? India Foundation with the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library hosted a one-day symposium on the subject ‘One Nation One Election’ Editor inspired by Prime Minister Modi raising this important issue for the Shakti Sinha nation to ponder. This issue carries some papers presented at the seminar highlighting different aspects including substantial legal and Assistant Editors constitutional ones. One thing came out clearly – voters vote differently Srihari Avuthu for parliament and state legislatures even when such elections are Shubhrastha held simultaneously and no class of party, national or state-level, would be particularly advantaged or disadvantaged. Any fears that such elections are backed by national parties for such reasons are unfounded. Publisher We also carry a detailed report on the India Ideas Conclave whose India Foundation New Delhi theme was ‘Democracy, Development & Dissent.’ This event has become a flagship event of the Foundation with its emphasis on policy- E-mail oriented debates and analyses. The quality of our speakers and [email protected] participants has continued to grow and it provides much food for Website www.indiafoundation.in thought for policy- and opinion-makers. This issue also carries reports on different activities of the Foundation including bilateral dialogues, civic receptions and articles of interest. for private circulation only India Foundation Journal, January-February 2017 {1} TABLE OF CONTENTS FOCUS: Electoral Reforms Desirability and Feasibility of Simultaneous Elections ....................................... Dr. S.Y. Quraishi 3 Need for Electoral Timetables in India ..............................................................Bhupender Yadav 8 Ensuring Fixed Term to Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies .......... Bhatruhari Mahtab 10 A Case for Simultaneous Elections .................................................. Swadesh Singh & Sushant 14 Need for Electoral Reforms in India ........................................................................... Arjun Sinha 21 OPINION Imprints of Colonialism in Our Political Discourse .................................................. Ram Madhav 26 Make-in-India for Strategic Self Reliance and Building a Globally Competitive Industrial Base .......................................... Dr. Pratyush Kumar 30 India is My Home .............................................................................................. Taslima Nasreen 42 Growing Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam .................... Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan 47 REPORTS Symposium on “One Nation, One Election” .................................................................. Jerin Jose 50 India Ideas Conclave 2016 ........................................................................... Prasanna Karthik R 52 Bilateral Dialogue on “India and Nepal: Exploring New Vistas” ............................ Guru Prakash 63 Symposium on “Jammu & Kashmir: On 70th Accession Day” ............................. Aaditya Tiwari 68 India Foundation Dialogues .................................................................................................................. 69 BOOK REVIEW Shaida Mohammad Abdali’s “Afghanistan Pakistan India – A Paradigm Shift” .... Deeksha Goel 70 {2}{2} India Foundation Journal, January-February 2017 FOCUS Desirability and Feasibility of Simultaneous Elections *Dr. S.Y. Quraishi n November 26, we celebrate the The Prime Minister talked about the cost – Constitution Day. On this day in 1949, Rs.30,000 crores - being spent by political parties. our Constitution was adopted. It was Rs.4,500 crores is spent by Election Commission O th th promulgated on 26 January 1950. On 26 on election management. This also actually does November 1949, six articles of the constitution not reflect the entire cost because many of the regarding the election commission were also costs are hidden. For example, the 1,10,00,000 promulgated. Initially they were differently people who conduct the elections for ECI - their numbered from 289 to 295; later on they became salary is not calculated. Their TA, DA comes from Articles 324 to 329. The Election Commission of their normal budget, it is not calculated. Only the India was born on 25th January, 1950, i.e, a day before extra costs, i.e., the honorarium ECI gives, the India was born as a Republic. That is the importance machines, stationary, movement, logistics – those framers of the constitution gave to elections. are the costs which are included. One Nation, One Election is a very beautiful Second, the Prime Minister mentioned that concept. We have been talking about it as there is work paralysis, which is largely true. And simultaneous elections. When Prime Minister Modi then he talked about saving the party workers’ time on 19th March 2016 was addressing party workers, because party workers were spending too much he talked about it. Media went to town saying he time and money in electioneering. He also talked floated the idea. Actually he had not floated the about holding simultaneous elections at all three levels– idea, but had only flagged the idea, which has been Panchayats i.e, local bodies, States and Parliament. known for a long time. PM Modi only flagged issues, which have been *This article is the summary of the address made by Dr. S.Y. Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India at the symposium on ‘One Nation, One Election’ jointly organized by India Foundation and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library on 26th November, 2016. India Foundation Journal, January-February 2017 {3} there for sometime. Law Commission, as far back happening because we are perpetually in election as in 1999, had recommended in detail that mode. After elections, things become very normal staggered elections are very cumbersome, that they and peaceful. were creating problems and that there should be The other reason in favour of simultaneous simultaneous elections. L.K.Advani was a strong elections is the matter of freebies - free bicycles, proponent of it. In a blog in May 2010, he strongly free laptops, free TVs, etc. All political parties are recommended that there should be simultaneous agitated. But they do it because it is a very elections and he also offered a solution saying no- competitive environment. One party spends money, confidence motion must also accompanied by a because the other party is spending money. One confidence motion. BJP manifesto itself in 2014, party gives ticket to a criminal, because rival party talked about simultaneous elections. ECI in 2015, is giving ticket to a criminal and therefore they when asked to give its comments to Parliamentary have to put a bigger criminal. Now it becomes the Committee, suggested that it was a very good idea level playing field of the rich and the criminal. This if there is consensus and legal and constitutional is a vitiation of the electoral process, which was amendments are taken place. And Parliamentary not intended. Committee on 17th December 2015 came out with The root-cause of all corruption in the country recommendation. So, it has a long history. is electoral corruption. When crores are spent, Mr. Vasanth Sathe (of Congress) had crores are to be collected. Everybody knows how recommended it for decades. This concern has they are collected. Because of frequent elections, been voiced by all political parties at different times. corruption gets perpetuated. 80% of the fund Therefore, it should not be coloured by any political collection by political parties is cash collection, and considerations. It is a general concern and it has that is very dubious. Whether cash comes from to be taken in that spirit. liquor mafia, real estate mafia or is it foreign money, Parliamentary Standing Committee in its 79th we do not know. At this time of demonetization, it report talked about massive expenditure on is also a great opportunity for electoral reforms. If separate elections. It says that the model code of electoral reforms happen, it would be very good conduct leads to policy paralysis. Delivery of fall-out of demonetization. essential services is adversely affected. Burden There are some counter points as well. To say of deployment of large manpower on election that because of model code of conduct, every management disrupts the normal functioning of service is paralyzed is an exaggeration. All that offices. All four concerns are very correct. One ECI disallows is new policies. What stops the more reason that is being missed is the scourge of governments from announcing new policies in four casteism and communalism. Because of elections, years and eleven months? Why do all the bright people who do not know their caste or have nothing ideas come only on the eve of elections? That is to do with it are reminded of their sub-sub-sub ECI’s only objection. Everything on-going