A Round Table Conference on "One Nation, One Election" (ONOE), organised by the Jurists for Justice Foundation, brought together nearly 50 eminent jurists, former High Court judges, academicians, senior advocates, financial experts and other distinguished luminaries to deliberate on the merits and framework of holding simultaneous elections across the country. The conference concluded with the unanimous adoption of a resolution in favour of ONOE.
The proceedings commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial diya by the Chief Guest, the Keynote Speaker and the senior-most dignitary present, followed by the Welcome Address delivered by Sh. Umesh Kumar Sirohi, President, Jurists for Justice Foundation, who outlined the purpose, theme and objectives of the conference. This was followed by the singing of the national song "Vande Mataram" by all dignitaries present.
The Keynote Address was delivered by Prof. Pritesh Arte, setting the tone for the core deliberations that followed, the Core Round Table Deliberations.
The main round table saw sequential interventions from eight distinguished speakers, each offering a distinct professional perspective, all favouring the adoption of ONOE:
1. Former Justice B.P. Deshpande, put forth the constitutional aspects underpinning simultaneous elections.
2. Smt. Meeratai Khadakkar, former District Judge, extended her support for ONOE.
3. Senior Advocate Anil Singh, Additional Solicitor General of India, highlighted the practical aspects of implementation and favoured simultaneous elections.
4. Sh. Avinash Dharmadhikari, former ACP, examined the impact of frequent elections on police deployment and how ONOE could resolve this strain.
5. Sh. Ravi Pani, Chartered Accountant, presented the economic and financial benefits of ONOE.
6. Prof. Adv. Dipak Parmar, an Intellectual Property Rights expert, discussed the overall benefits of ONOE, drawing specific connections to the IPR framework.
7. Sh. Nagesh V . Nhavakar, former Principal District Judge and presently Member, Maharashtra State Special Public Security Advisory Board, elaborated on the constitutional aspects of adopting ONOE.
8. Smt. Chanda Nathani, former District Judge, also lent her support to the proposal.
Thereafter, the Chief Guest, Sh. Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Cabinet Minister for Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra, and MLA, Malabar Hill, Mumbai, addressed the gathering and extended his support for ONOE. He observed that governance and national development would benefit significantly from simultaneous elections and that the country would achieve greater political efficiency as a result. He remarked:
"India represents the largest and oldest democracy. The proposal of ONOE will enhance government efficiency and enrich the democratic process of the country. So, overall it is most beneficial for the country."
Thereafter, the Delegates were then given the opportunity to present their views. Despite some dissenting voices, the Round Table arrived at a broad consensus in favour of ONOE. A draft resolution was subsequently presented, and following brief clarifications, was formally adopted in favour of "One Nation, One Election."
The valedictory address was delivered by former Justice Vivek Bharti Sharma, who, drawing on his personal experience as a judge in the state of Uttarakhand, spoke in favour of ONOE and concluded with a wide-ranging discussion covering its judicial, constitutional, administrative and financial dimensions.
Following this, Sh. Umesh Kumar Sirohi, President, Jurists for Justice Foundation, addressed the conference once more, acknowledging the dissenting views raised during the session. He remarked: "Frequent elections are like viral fever for the nation, and the ONOE is like a vaccination effective to combat the political illness, and it is a great initiative by the Government of India."
The concluding address was delivered by Sh. Amarnath Mishra, President, Organising Committee, who extended a formal vote of thanks to the Chief Guest, Guest(s) of Honour, speakers, participants, and the organising and subject committees.
The conference concluded with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by a group photograph of the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour, Keynote Speaker and all participants.
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