One Nation One Election.

One Nation One Election proposal suggests that all voters in India would cast ballots in both the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies election in the same year, though not necessary at the same time. 

 In a significant move towards conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday (September 18) approved the proposal for the ‘One Nation One Election’ plan. The Bill facilitating these concurrent polls could be introduced during the winter session of Parliament, several media outlets reported.

Speaking to the media, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that simultaneous elections would take place in two phases. The first phase will include the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, followed by local body elections in the second phase, within 100 days of the first.

Earlier in March, a committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind had submitted its report on the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative, which advocates for the alignment of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

The panel, established in September 2023, reviewed international practices, consulted 39 political parties, economists, and the Election Commission of India. While expressing support for the concept, the committee emphasised the need for a legally sound approach to adjust and synchronise the current electoral schedules.

What is ‘One Nation, One Election’?

In simple terms, this proposal suggests that all voters in India would cast ballots in both the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections within the same year, though not necessarily at the same time.

Currently, a few states like Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Odisha hold state elections concurrently with the national elections. The remaining states, including Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana, follow an unsynchronized five-year election cycle.

Possible challenges in its implementing

Implementing synchronised elections across India presents multiple challenges. These obstacles range from logistical and financial issues to constitutional, legal, as well as practical considerations, given the country’s size and regional diversity.

To make this shift, constitutional amendments are necessary. These amendments would need approval from all state and union territory governments, as well as, possibly, major political parties. Legal experts caution that without changes to five key constitutional articles, the proposal could face opposition for potentially violating India’s federal structure.

The relevant articles include Article 83 (Parliament’s term), Article 85 (dissolution of Lok Sabha by the President), Article 172 (state legislatures' terms), Article 174 (dissolution of state legislatures), and Article 356 (President’s Rule).

A major concern was how to manage situations where a state or central government loses a no-confidence motion or is dissolved before completing its term. It would be impractical to require all other states to hold fresh elections simultaneously.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the BJP-led NDA government will implement the 'one nation, one election' within its current tenure.

Addressing a press conference here to mark the 100 days of the third consecutive term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah said, "We plan to implement one nation one poll within the tenure of this government.

Shah was flanked by I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the press conference.

In his Independence Day address last month, the prime minister made a strong pitch for 'one nation, one election', contending that frequent polls were creating hurdles in the country's progress.

"The nation has to come forward for 'one nation, one election'," Modi had said in his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort. 

One nation, one election is one of the key promises made by the BJP in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.

A high-level panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind in March this year recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.

Separately, the Law Commission is likely to recommend holding simultaneous polls for all three tiers of government -- Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats -- starting in 2029 and a provision for a unity government in cases such as a hung house or when a no-confidence motion is passed.

The Kovind panel has not specified any period for rolling out simultaneous polls.

It has proposed creation of an 'Implementation Group' to look into the execution of the panel's recommendations.

The panel recommended as many as 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by the state assemblies.

However, these would require certain Constitution amendment bills that would need to be passed by Parliament.