One Nation, One Election To Be Implemented By Next Lok Sabha Poll? Nirmala Sitharaman Responds

Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday refuted the “false propaganda” being spread about the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative, making it clear that the concept will not be implemented in the upcoming elections. Speaking at an event near Chennai, Sitharaman said, “Nearly ₹1 lakh crore was spent during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Such a massive expenditure could be saved through simultaneous elections.”

She stated that holding elections simultaneously for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies could contribute about 1.5 per cent to the country’s GDP, amounting to an estimated ₹4.5 lakh crore. “This is a black and white example of the One Nation, One Election concept,” she remarked, as per news agency PTI.

One Nation, One Election To Be Implemented Only After 2034: Nirmala Sitharaman

She accused certain political parties of launching a “false campaign” against the initiative, claiming they were “blindly opposing” the proposal without understanding its long-term economic benefits. Clarifying the timeline, the minister said simultaneous elections are envisaged to be implemented only after 2034, and preparatory work is currently underway to facilitate presidential assent at the appropriate time.

“This concept was widely discussed during several occasions. This concept was not introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” she said, adding that ‘One Nation, One Election’ had existed in India until the 1960s. “Instead of blindly opposing it, if it had been supported considering its benefit, the One Nation, One Election concept will make the country move forward,” she added.

Sitharaman also claimed that the late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi had once supported the idea, but his son and current Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin was now opposing it in a departure from his father's stance.

Reiterating her stand, she stressed that the initiative was not “someone’s pet project” but one designed with the country’s welfare in mind.

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