One Nation One Election - History, Benefits, Demerits, Challenges, & Importance

"One Nation One Election" means a concept that advocates for synchronizing the electoral cycles of various levels of government in a country. The idea is to align the schedules of parliamentary, state, and local elections, ensuring that they occur simultaneously. The aim is to create a more efficient and focused electoral system. In September 2023, the Union Government formed a 'High-Level Committee on One Nation, One Election,' chaired by former President Ramnath Kovind. The committee has been in discussions with both national and state-level political parties, gathering input from the public and jurists. Anticipated recommendations from the committee have sparked concerns regarding their potential impact on India's democratic framework and federal structure.

The issue of simultaneous elections or one nation, one election is important for the UPSC IAS exam. This is evident from the fact that UPSC, in the 2017 Mains exam, has asked a question about simultaneous elections.

In this article, we will look at the background of the One Nation One Election, the need for the One Nation One Election, its benefits, various challenges, criticism from stakeholders, and the way forward.

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There have been various recommendations on One Nation One Election. Implementing national and state elections simultaneously would be a complex undertaking. It will require significant constitutional and logistical changes. It would necessitate at least five amendments to the Constitution related to the duration of parliamentary and state legislative houses as well as the dissolution powers of the President. Namely, amendments would be needed to articles 83, 85, 172, 174, and 356.

In addition, conducting polls across India simultaneously for national and state positions would demand a large increase in electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units. A sizable scaling up of logistical and technical infrastructure would be essential.

Further, such a significant electoral reform does not have the support of all involved parties. A parliamentary panel examined the issue of simultaneous polls, gathering input from stakeholders like the Election Commission of India and various political groups. However, broader consensus was not achieved due to differing perspectives. As a result, making the logistical and constitutional adjustments required for combined national and state elections remains an open question.

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What is One Nation One Election?

One Nation One Election" (ONOE) refers to a concept advocating for simultaneously holding all national and sub-national elections in a country, typically within a fixed timeframe. It aims to streamline the electoral process, reduce costs, and potentially increase voter turnout. However, it also raises concerns about logistical challenges, potential political manipulation, and the impact on local issues. One nation one election committee is a high level committee constituted by the Government under the chairpersonship of Shri Ram Nath Kovind former President of India.

Background on One Nation One Election

Just after independence, Simultaneous elections were conducted for the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies simultaneously. This was true for elections in 1952, 1957, 1962, and 1967. But this was discontinued because, in 1968-69, some State Legislative Assemblies were dissolved earlier due to various reasons.

Currently, elections to the state assemblies and the Lok Sabha are held separately. That is, whenever the current government’s five-year term either ends or whenever the legislature is dissolved. The terms of the Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha may or may not synchronize with one another. For instance, Rajasthan faced elections in late 2018, whereas Tamil Nadu will go to elections only in 2021.

• On average, 5-7 assembly elections occur in a year. Due to the problems it creates, the election commission suggested the formation of a system so that elections to the state assembly and Lok sabha can be held simultaneously.
• The Law Commission of 1999 headed by Justice Reddy also recommended going back to simultaneous elections. The 79th report of the parliamentary standing committee in 2015 has reiterated the support for simultaneous elections.
• The idea of simultaneous elections was floated again by Prime Minister Modi in 2016. Since then, the ruling Bharatiya Janata party has made a strong argument for simultaneous polls.
• A working paper on simultaneous elections was prepared by Niti Aayog in 2017. Even the law commission brought a working paper in 2018 and said that at least five constitutional changes would be required to make simultaneous elections a possibility.

Recently, BJP leader Mr Naqvi has called upon the political parties to consider simultaneous elections. However, many of the opposition parties still oppose the idea.

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Need for One Nation One Election (ONOE)

Various arguments have been given for the need for simultaneous elections. Such as

• Every year, on average, the country witnesses 5 to 7 State assembly elections, which means India is always in an election mode. This affects all the key stakeholders, such as the central government, State Government, Government employees, teachers on election duty, voters, political parties, and candidates.
• Election requires the imposition of a model code of conduct by the election commission-
  • According to the 79th report of the parliamentary standing committee, imposition of a model code of conduct leads to the suspension of normal government activities and programs of Central and state government in the state where the election is happening. This leads to policy paralysis and a government deficit.
• Frequent elections also lead to massive expenditures for Central and state governments. Hence, it causes a waste of public money and hampers development work.
• A significant amount of security forces also have to be deployed in case of elections. In the 16th Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India took the assistance of 10 million public officials to run the election.
• The application of the model code of conduct for a prolonged period disrupts the normal life of the public. This is also caused by frequent electioneering.
• Due to frequent elections, caste, communal and regional issues always stay at the forefront. Many argue that constant politics perpetuate such issues.
• Frequent elections also shift the focus of governance from long-term to short-term policy goals.
  •  Because of this, sound economic planning takes a back seat, and the government often indulges in excessive expenditure.
• According to a BJP leader Mr. Naqvi, frequent elections make Indian people unenthusiastic toward the festival of democracy.

एक राष्ट्र एक चुनाव : पृष्ठभूमि, लाभ, दोष और संवैधानिक चुनौतियों के बारे में यहां सबकुछ जानें!

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Benefits of One Nation One Election

According to the law commission, various benefits exist to holding a simultaneous election. Such as

• Save public money- it will reduce the enormous costs involved in frequent elections.
• Reduce the burden on the administrative setup and security forces- it will reduce the enormous manpower that has to be deployed every time there is an election.
• Ensure timely implementation of government policies- simultaneous elections will ensure that the ruling party focuses on development instead of being in constant election mode.
  • As the model code of conduct will not be applied frequently, governments will be able to launch policies and programs in a timely manner. It will also ensure the continuation of policy.
• It will Ensure that the administrative machinery is engaged in development activities rather than electioneering- It will help educators to work without fear of vacations. Schools and universities will also be able to open on time.
• According to the law commission, simultaneous elections will also boost voter turnout.
• Simultaneous elections can also work against vote bank appeasement politics.

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Demerits of One Nation One Election

Even if simultaneous elections become a reality there are several demerits of such a reform. Many opposition political parties have made their opinions clear against this reform.

• Holding simultaneous elections may affect the judgment of voters. Voters will tend to focus more on national issues rather than local issues.
• Due to strong Central politics, regional parties will not be able to raise regional and local issues appropriately.
• It will further the centralization tendency of Indian polity and politics.
• Simultaneous elections can have a negative impact on the government’s accountability to the people. Repeated elections keep the government and legislatures in check, which will not happen in case of simultaneous elections.
• Elections in a state will have to be postponed to synchronise the elections. This can only be done through the president’s rule, which will be problematic for democracy and federalism.
• Although simultaneous elections will reduce the expenditure by governments, it may not affect expenditure by political parties which is one of the reasons for corruption in politics.
• The constitutional amendment required to only have a ‘constructive vote of no confidence can tamper with the ethos of parliamentary democracy.
• Although the election commission has said that holding simultaneous elections is feasible, it will be a considerable feat and logistical challenge.

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Constitutional and Legal Challenges Related to One Nation One Election

Although there may be several benefits of election reform, i.e. the simultaneous elections, making it possible requires various constitutional and legal reforms.

• The Law Commission has said that the existing framework of the constitution is not suitable for holding simultaneous elections. This will require various amendments to the constitution, to the representation of the People Act 1951, and amendments to the rules of procedure of Lok sabha and state legislative assemblies.
• According to the law commission, constitutional amendments will require 50% of the state legislative assemblies to ratify them.
• Because elections to various legislative assemblies are haphazard, this will require a constitutional amendment because the term of these legislative assemblies will have to be either extended or curtailed.
• If a no-confidence motion is passed, it may curtail the term of Lok sabha or state legislative assembly. This is why the law commission suggests replacing the vote of no confidence with a constructive vote of no confidence, which will require appropriate constitutional amendments. In this case, the government can only be removed if there is an alternate government possible.
• In the case of a hung assembly, there is also a possibility of re-elections, which will change the term and create problems for simultaneous elections. The law commission suggests that the constitution must be amended such that any such new Lok sabha or legislative assembly formed midway will only be constituted for the remainder of the previous term.

Regarding the elections to the local government in India, there are several other challenges:

• These elections are state subjects and, hence, cannot be controlled nationally.
• Currently, these elections are controlled by the state election commission, and bringing them under simultaneous elections will require a further constitutional amendment.

Therefore, making simultaneous elections possible will require constitutional changes in various articles such as Article 83 (which deals with the duration of the House of Parliament), Article 85 (which deals with the dissolution of Lok sabha), and Article 172 (which deals with the duration of the legislative assembly in the state) to name a few.

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Criticism Towards One Nation One Election

Key opposition political parties such as the Indian National Congress (INC), Communist Party of India (CPI), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), etc. Have submitted their reservations to the parliamentary standing committee about this reform.

• They have questioned the practical aspect of actually having simultaneous elections, which will require constitutional and statutory amendments with regard to terms of various assemblies and parliament.
• Other critics have argued that such an idea is politically motivated because simultaneous elections may influence voters’ behaviour. Voters will end up voting on national issues even in state elections.
• Local and regional parties which many times represent the interest of local economic and social groups, generally ignored by the central government, may be marginalized. This will impact the depth and diversity of Indian democracy.

As per Dr. S. Y. Quraishi, frequent elections where politicians have to face the voters more than once every year increase accountability as well as create many jobs related to elections. This is important for the grassroots economy. But if simultaneous elections are held, India will have to sacrifice these things.

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Conclusion

The 21st Law Commission, in its draft report, has constantly said that a viable environment exists in the country, which necessitates the holding of simultaneous elections. According to the commission, it is a good solution to prevent the country from being in constant election mode.

Although, in theory, it is a good reform, it requires various stakeholders to be on board. That’s why Niti Aayog suggests the formation of a focused group of stakeholders comprising constitutional experts, election experts, think tanks, government officials as well as representatives of political parties. This group will need to come together and work out appropriate implementation details, which will include drafting constitutional and statutory amendments.

If such reform doesn’t work, the parliamentary standing committee, in its 79th report, has also recommended an alternative and more practical method of holding simultaneous elections in a two-phase approach. This can also be considered.

Thus, various challenges will need to be tackled, and broad-based constitutional changes will be required for such reforms. Therefore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suggestion to have broad-based discussions on this topic is the immediate way forward.

UPSC Previous Year Mains Questions

1.‘Simultaneous election to the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies will limit the amount of time and money spent in electioneering, but it will reduce the government’s accountability to the people’ Discuss. (UPSC Mains 2017)

We hope that all your doubts regarding the One Nation One Election or Simultaneous Elections will be cleared after going through this article. You can download the Testbook App now to check out various other topics relevant to the UPSC IAS Exam. For further information and an explanation of the topic, visit UPSC CSE Coaching here!