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‘One Nation, One Election’ to be implemented in this government’s tenure . Learn about One Nation One Election, its history, significance, benefits, challenges, and recent developments,

Background

The issue of simultaneous elections was highlighted by Prime Minister Modi in 2014, and a committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind also looked into the issue.

Simultaneous Elections (One Nation One Election) refer to the idea of holding Lok Sabha and State legislative assembly elections together, with the aim of reducing the frequency of elections and their associated costs.

Simultaneous elections in India to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies were held in the years 1951-52, 1957, 1962 and 1967. 

Thereafter, the schedule could not be maintained and the elections to the Lok Sabha and the State legislative assembly have still not been realigned.

One Nation One Election: Recommendations of High-Level Committee

Elections have been held simultaneously between 1951 and 1967.

law commission – 170th report (1999): One election to Lok Sabha and all Legislative Assemblies in five years.

Parliamentary Committee 79th Report (2015): suggest methods for simultaneous elections in two phases.

High Level Committee chaired by Shri Ram Nath Kovind extensively consulted a broad spectrum of stakeholders including political parties and experts.

Extensive feedback has showed there is widespread support for simultaneous elections in the country.

How One Nation One Election will be Implemented and Way Forward

Implement in two phases.

In first phase: conduct Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously.

In second phase: Conduct local body elections (panchayat and municipalities) within 100 days of general elections.

Common electoral roll for all elections.

Will initiate detailed discussions throughout the country . Constitute an implementation group

What is One Nation One Election (Simultaneous polls) ?

One nation one election, also known as simultaneous elections, refers to the practice of holding elections to Lok Sabha, all the state assemblies, and local bodies – municipalities and panchayats, together.

• It would mean that the voters will cast their vote for electing members of the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies on a single day, at the same time (or in a phased manner as the case may be).

Steps needed after the approval from the Union Cabinet

• The One Nation, One Election project requires two Constitutional Amendment Bills to be passed by Parliament, needing broad agreement across various parties.
• To build consensus, the government may refer the bills to a parliamentary committee, which includes opposition members. 
• Additionally, to include local bodies in simultaneous elections, at least half of the states must ratify the Constitutional amendment.
  • Although the BJP currently governs in over a dozen states, upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand could impact this distribution.

Changes needed in the Constitution

• The policy of One Nation One Election is not possible in the current framework of the constitution, so we require some essential amendments in the constitution to implement this policy:
• Article 83 of the Constitution: Duration of Houses of the Parliament, we are required to fix the time and the tenure of the house of people.
• Article 85 of the Constitution: Sessions of the Parliament, prorogation and dissolution, there must be some guidelines for the dissolution of session; it must not be done on vague and ambiguous reasons.
• Article 172 of the Constitution: Duration of the state legislature.
• Article 174 of the Constitution: Sessions of the Parliament, prorogation, and dissolution.

What will happen if these Bills are passed by Parliament ?

• According to the Kovind Committee’s roadmap:
• Implementation
  • The President will issue a notification during the first Lok Sabha sitting after a general election, activating Article 82A from the first Constitution Amendment Bill, which marks the “appointed date.”
  • Article 82A — a new article that will be introduced through the first Bill to facilitate the transition to simultaneous elections.
• State Assemblies
  • Any state Assemblies elected after this “appointed date” will be dissolved when the Lok Sabha’s term ends. 
  • Some state Assemblies will dissolve before their five-year term ends to align with the Lok Sabha elections.
• Mid-Term Elections
  • If a state Assembly or Lok Sabha is dissolved early, a mid-term election will occur. 
  • The newly elected body will serve only until the next scheduled simultaneous elections. This interim period is called the “unexpired term.”
• Election Commission Role
  • If the Election commission of India determines that a state Assembly election cannot be held simultaneously, it can recommend a delay. 
  • However, future elections will still be conducted simultaneously.
• Single Electoral Roll
  • The ECI will create a unified electoral roll for all elections, including Lok Sabha, state Assemblies, municipalities, and panchayats, in collaboration with State Election Commissions. 
  • This amendment also needs ratification by at least half of the states

Way Ahead

• Synchronized polls for all 3 tiers of government will improve governance architecture. It will enhance “transparency, inclusivity, ease and confidence of voters.
• The 22nd Law Commission, examining the simultaneous polls issue, is expected to recommend simultaneous polls from the 2029 general election cycle.

CBL Prelims Practice Question

In the context of “One Nation, One Election,” which of the following statements is true?

A) It applies only to Lok Sabha elections.
B) It suggests holding all elections at the same time to save resources.
C) It is mandatory under the Constitution.
D) It has been implemented in several states.

Answer: B) It suggests holding all elections at the same time to save resources.

CBL Mains Practice Question

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the “One Nation, One Election” policy in India. How would it impact the federal structure of the country?

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