KEVADIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday advocated for the “One Nation, One Choice” system and a single voters list, saying elections that take place every few months hamper development.
Addressing the closing session of the 80th All India Board Conference here via video conference, Modi also paid tribute to the victims of the 11/26 Mumbai attacks and stated that India is fighting against the terrorism now with a new policy and a new process.
Making a strong pitch to simultaneous elections on Constitution Day, Modi said that “One nation, one election” was not “just a matter of deliberation, but also the need of the country.”
“Elections are held in different places every few months and it hampers development work and you all know it. Therefore, it is necessary to have deep study and deliberation on ‘One nation, one choice,'” he said.
He also said that it was desirable to have a single list of voters.
“Only one voter list should be used for Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and other elections. Why are we wasting time and money on these lists?” he said.
He also emphasized the need for coordination between the three branches of the state – Legislature, Executive and Judicial – and said that everything, from the roles of these institutes to their decorum, is described in the Constitution.
“In the 1970s, we saw an attempt to violate the dignity of the separation of powers, but the country got the answer only from the Constitution. After that period of Emergency, the system of checks and balances became stronger and stronger. .
“The Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial, the three learned a lot from that period and advanced,” said the prime minister.
The national interest must form the basis of every decision, Modi said. “We must remember that when politics takes hold of people and nation-first policies, the nation has to pay adversely in such situations,” he added.
He cited the example of the delay in completion of the Sardar Sarovar dam, saying it continued to delay and was completed after years.
“This could have happened earlier if development was prioritized. Those who stalled it, have no regrets,” he said in a clear attack on Congress.
Underlining that there is no place for the policy of untouchability, Modi cited the example of the Statue of Unity built by his government for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel even though Patel is not from the BJP or Jana Sangh.
The constitution is our guiding light to meet the challenges of the 21st century, Modi said and called for raising awareness about it.
“Our Constitution has many characteristics, but a very special characteristic is the importance given to duties. Mahatma Gandhi was very interested in this. He saw a close link between rights and duties. He considered that once we fulfilled our duties, rights will be automatically safeguarded, “Modi said.
He also touched on the practice of KYC (know your customer) in the business world and said there should be a similar KYC push in the form of Know Your Constitution to popularize the Constitution and its different features.
Recalling the Mumbai terror attack, the prime minister said it was the largest terrorist attack in the country.
“Today’s date is associated with the largest terrorist attack in the country. On this date in 2008, terrorists sent from Pakistan had attacked Mumbai,” he said.
“Many people died in that terrorist attack and people of many nationalities were the victims. I pay my tribute to all. I bow to the security personnel who lost their lives in the attack.
“India will never be able to forget the Mumbai terrorist attack of 11/26 and now it is fighting terrorism with ‘nai neeti aur reeti’ (new policy and new process),” he said.
The All India Board Conference began in 1921, and the Gujarat event marks its centennial year.
The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Harmonious Coordination Between the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Power: Key to a Vibrant Democracy’.
On video: Constitution Day: One Nation, One Electoral Necessity for India, Says Prime Minister Narendra Modi
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