Simultaneous polls can curb defections, says Ghulam Nabi Azad at JPC meet

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday (March 9, 2026) said that One Nation, One Election (ONOE) could act as a “natural deterrent” to defections among elected representatives, arguing that greater political stability would be one of its most significant democratic dividends. 

He was speaking to the Parliamentary Joint Committee reviewing the legislation on simultaneous elections on Monday (March 9, 2026). On August 26 2022, ending his five decade long association with the Congress Mr. Azad had resigned from all party positions including its primary membership. 

Mr. Azad, according to sources, noted that the recurring cycles of elections often create “political vulnerability,” enabling opportunistic shifts in allegiance. Simultaneous elections, he said, would bring a coherence to political tenures that reduces incentives for defections and strengthens the mandate voters deliver. “Democracy can only deepen when the people’s verdict remains intact through the full term,” he observed.

Calling simultaneous polls a “win‑win scenario for the country”, Mr. Azad said the proposed transition to simultaneous polls marks a pivotal step toward accelerated development and more effective nation‑building. With elections currently scattered across any given five‑year period, he pointed out that an enormous amount of national time is consumed in prolonged campaigning, diverting leadership attention away from governance.

Mr. Azad emphasized that simultaneous elections were not alien to India’s constitutional ethos. “The framers of the Constitution presided over an era where Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were held together. The model does not dilute either India’s democratic essence or its federal character,” he said.

In his interaction with committee members, the former Chief Minister also argued that ONOE would offer strategic advantages to opposition parties by shifting campaign leadership to regional figures who are directly connected with voters. “Instead of depending heavily on Union Ministers, elections will be led by State‑level leaders who understand local issues best,” he said.

He further described ONOE as a “masterstroke” that would dramatically cut election expenditure for governments, parties, and candidates alike. Reduced polling cycles, he said, would also ease the burden on the administrative machinery and security personnel—groups that often face intense fatigue from continuous electoral deployment.

Mr. Azad dismissed concerns over challenges in implementing simultaneous polls, asserting that the benefits far outweigh logistical difficulties. “There are no negatives—only positives,” he said, adding that the transition offers India an overwhelmingly beneficial trajectory for the coming decades.