India wants to switch to a system where voters choose the national government as well as their state (federal) administrations in a single, massive election.
India is not the first country to try this electoral method. The founding fathers had intended for this exact election model — simultaneous state assembly and parliamentary elections — when the nation gained its independence in 1947. This was the voting pattern in India from the very first election, which took place in 1952.
However, everything changed in 1967 when India had its final election using the “One Nation, One Election” model. At the time, Uttar Pradesh (previously known as the United Provinces) voted in four phases, while the rest of India voted in a single phase. In that year, polling took place from February 15 to February 21. Voting was conducted to choose MPs and MLAs for 520 Lok Sabha seats and 3,563 Assembly constituencies in what was India’s fourth such election.
Subsequently, the period of coalition politics reached its zenith, which finally resulted in the country’s simultaneous elections ending. The Congress remained the sole political party in power in India until 1967, but by that time it was dealing with a number of difficulties and disappointments. Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, had passed away a few years prior, his daughter Indira Gandhi was under pressure from important allies, the Congress was dealing with a major anti-incumbency campaign and an internal power struggle, and, to top it all off, India had lost the 1962 war with China.
‘One Nation, One Election’ is something that India hopes to restart after sixty years. The idea and the measures to put it into effect have been accepted by the Union Cabinet, which is headed by the prime minister. With the goal of being enacted constitutionally so that it becomes the standard, it will now probably be presented in Parliament during the current Winter Session.
Ram NathKovind Committee — One such route was proposed in the March report of the Ram NathKovind Committee, which the Narendra Modi administration established in 2023 to recommend ways to hold simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, Assemblies, and municipalities.
The group suggested that the Lok Sabha and state assemblies hold simultaneous elections as a first step, with synchronised local body elections to follow within 100 days. Amendments to the constitution are necessary for this. However, as an initial step, states would not need to ratify the reforms once Parliament agrees to hold state and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously.
At least half of the states must ratify the second phase, which is to synchronise elections for municipalities and panchayats so that the elections for local bodies take place within 100 days of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Constitutional amendments -The Kovind committee has suggested changes to Article 83, which addresses the length of the Lok Sabha, and Article 172, which addresses the tenure of a state Assembly, in order to ensure that simultaneous elections do not violate the Constitution. This will probably happen after a notification from the president.
The notification will be deemed invalid if the modifications are not approved by parliament. The majority of state administrations’ tenure will be shortened during the transition if the changes are approved, and simultaneous polling would become a reality.
The committee has suggested holding new elections if the Lok Sabha or a state Assembly is dissolved before its five-year term due to a loss of majority on the House floor if “One Nation, One Election” is implemented, say in 2029. The new administration will only serve for the remaining portion of the Lok Sabha’s whole tenure; this will be known as the “unexpired term.” These will be “midterm elections.”
This is the path that the Kovid group has proposed, but it has left it up to the Centre to determine when it can be prepared for simultaneous elections. Elections for the ten states that elected new administrations last year will take place again in 2028, and the new administrations will occupy office for no more than a year. Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Telangana, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan are among these states. Gujarat, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh are set to hold elections in 2027, so even if they give a party a certain majority, their administrations would only survive two years or fewer.
As elections are set for 2026, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Kerala will all have three-year administrations. Only the states that held elections this year — Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Jharkhand — are able to maintain the same administration for around five years.
Since assuming power in 2014, Prime Minister Modi’s administration has been centred around the idea of “One Nation, One Election.” The following justifies this initiative: Cutting Down on Election Frequency: Too many elections cause problems with governance and policy stagnation. Cost-effectiveness: Reducing political parties’ and the government’s election-related costs. Increased Voter Participation: By lessening election weariness, consolidating elections may boost turnout. After 191 days of intensive talks with a wide range of stakeholders, including political parties and legal experts.
Benefits of one nation one election-The following are the expected advantages of putting ONOE into practice: Cost Reduction: Considerable savings on campaign expenses, poll workers, and security deployments. Higher Voter Turnout: Voter turnout may rise in a single election process.
Better Governance: Prevents frequent electoral disruptions, allowing governments to concentrate on long-term plans. Economic stability may improve the climate for investment and expansion by lowering governmental uncertainty.
Dr. Neeti Sharma
Associate Professor
BBA, Department