Puducherry Lt Governor endorses idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’

Puducherry LG endorses 'One Nation, One Election' for economic development, emphasizes need for reforms in governance, judiciary, and electoral process.

Endorsing the idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’, Puducherry Lieutenant Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan on Friday, May 17, 2024, said that holding simultaneous elections to all legislative bodies would auger well for the country, as the government could then move ahead with programmes of economic development without disruptions.

Inaugurating a two-day orientation programme, organised by the Puducherry Law Department for officers of law enforcement agencies on the three new criminal laws that are to be implemented from July 1, he said there was a need for reforms in the financial, judicial and electoral sectors for the larger benefit of society.

The orientation programme was held, as the Union Territory is gearing up for the implementation of the new criminal laws: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Abhiniyam. These laws were brought in by the Centre, replacing the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 and Indian Evidence Act, 1872 through legislations in Parliament in December, 2023.

Speaking on the necessity for reforms in the country, Mr. Radhakrishnan said frequent elections created disruptions in governance. There was nothing wrong with people exercising their franchise during simultaneous elections to the Parliament, Assembly and local bodies, he said. At present, there is always one or the other election happening in the country, causing a deflection from the agenda of economic development, he contended.

Mr. Radhakrishnan also stressed the need for reforms in the electoral process to reduce the impact ofmoney power in determining the success of candidates. He also underscored the imperative for reforms in the judicial sector so that culprits get the maximum punishment without any delay once an offence is committed.

Mr. Radhakrishnan also stressed on the importance of making Puducherry free from the menace of ganja. “If there’s one thing we need to score a ‘zero’ at for Puducherry, it is the drug menace. We have to ensure that the availability of ganja is curtailed in Puducherry. I am concerned about the use of ganja, especially in medical educational Institutions,” he added.

Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan said the Union Territory was fully geared to implement the three new criminal laws from July 1. More orientation programmes are planned in the coming days, he added. The laws, he said, were a historic transition from a punishment-oriented system to a justice oriented one. However, there were also more stringent provisions in the new laws to deal with organised crime.