Frequent elections tilt spending away from capex, CEA tells JPC on simultaneous polls bills; economists back the idea

Gurumurthy is learnt to have argued that frequent elections, rather than simultaneous polls, affect the federal structure. He said simultaneous elections could strengthen the federal framework by reducing disruptions.

New Delhi: Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran told the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the simultaneous polls bills that frequent elections can skew fiscal priorities towards revenue expenditure at expense of capital spending and suggested certain reservations on draft legislation's proposed expansion of the Election Commission of India's (ECI) powers indicating it need greater clarity.

Also read: Supreme Court judges call off JPC interaction over possible review of ONOE Bills


Several economists, including Nageswaran, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister chairman S Mahendra Dev and CA and commentator S Gurumurthy, broadly supported the idea of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies, sources said.

Nageswaran is understood to have said that "One Nation, One Election" would allow elected representatives and political leaders to devote more time and energy to governance instead of continuous campaigning. He, however, sought greater clarity on the expanded powers proposed for the Election Commission of India (ECI) under the draft legislation, while expressing his reservations about it.

Gurumurthy is learnt to have argued that frequent elections, rather than simultaneous polls, affect the federal structure. He said simultaneous elections could strengthen the federal framework by reducing disruptions.

Several former Chief Justices of India have previously raised concerns before the JPC over what they described as sweeping powers proposed for the ECI under the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill.