Raipur, April 9 : India could potentially save an astounding Rs 4.5 lakh crore -- equivalent to 1.5 per cent of the nation's GDP -- if all elections were conducted simultaneously under the 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE) concept.

This transformative idea was the focal point of a high-level meeting held at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state office here in the Chhattisgarh capital.

The Chhattisgarh BJP further emphasised the financial implications of elections through a post on social media platform X, reiterating its commitment to the ONOE resolution.

The party highlighted that an amount of Rs 1.35 lakh crore was spent during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections -- nearly double the Rs 60,000 crore spent in 2019.

The BJP's state unit described ONOE as a solution to curb unnecessary government expenditure and ensure the efficient use of resources in the national interest.

'General elections and state assembly elections combined require a huge amount of Rs 4-7 lakh crore,' the meeting observed.

During the marathon discussion, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, BJP's state in-charge Nitin Nabin Sinha, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, state Forest minister Kedar Kashyap, and other senior leaders, delved into the benefits of synchronised elections.

The concept of simultaneous elections is not new to India. Following the adoption of the Constitution, elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies were held together from 1951 to 1967.

This practice began with the first general elections in 1951-52 and continued for three subsequent cycles in 1957, 1962, and 1967.

However, this synchronisation was disrupted in 1968 and 1969 due to the premature dissolution of certain State Legislative Assemblies.

The Fourth Lok Sabha was also dissolved early in 1970, leading to fresh elections in 1971. While the First, Second, and Third Lok Sabha completed their full five-year terms, the Fifth Lok Sabha's tenure was extended until 1977 under Article 352 during the Emergency.

Since then, only a few Lok Sabha terms -- such as the Eighth, Tenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth'have lasted the full five years, with others ending prematurely.

To explore the feasibility of ONOE, the Government of India constituted a High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections on September 2, 2023, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind.

The committee engaged in extensive consultations with the public, political stakeholders, and experts to evaluate the benefits and challenges of this electoral reform.

Its report outlines key findings, proposed constitutional amendments, and the anticipated impact of simultaneous elections on governance, resource allocation, and public sentiment.

The ONOE concept promises to usher in a new era of efficiency and development, reshaping India's electoral landscape, the BJP's Wednesday meeting observed.

/IANS