Economist and Sixteenth Finance Commission Chairman Arvind Panagariya strongly backed the idea of “ One Nation, One Election " during his testimony before the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the 129th Amendment Bill, arguing that the current system of frequent polls hampers governance, disrupts policymaking, and imposes heavy economic costs. Ahead of his physical deposition before the committee, he sent a written submission.

At present, India conducts assembly elections in 13 different rounds to ensure each state and union territory with a legislature holds polls within its five-year cycle. This, Panagariya pointed out, means one round of elections takes place every four-and-a-half months on average —sometimes even more frequently when assemblies are dissolved

Tracing history, Panag

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