‘One Nation, One Election’, A Major Change in India’s Electoral System?

‘One Nation, One Election’ is one of the key agendas of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The main objective of this idea is to hold elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies simultaneously. The government is swiftly working in this direction, and there is speculation that the Modi government might introduce the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill during its current term (Modi 3.0). This would mean that all elections across the country would be held at the same time, simplifying the process of holding elections frequently.

The Modi government currently relies on the support of its allies. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the backing of major parties like JDU (Janata Dal-United) and TDP (Telugu Desam Party). These parties are part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and are supporting the government’s idea of ‘One Nation, One Election.’ It is being reported that all parties within the NDA are in favor of this concept and are ready for its implementation.

This idea is not just a government agenda but has been presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the public and other political parties multiple times. The BJP’s 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto also promised ‘One Nation, One Election.’ In his Independence Day speech this year, PM Modi urged political parties to come together in this direction. He said, “The demand of the time is that we achieve the resolution of ‘One Nation, One Election.'” It is expected that this will make the election process simpler and more time-bound.

The government formed a committee to study and deliberate on this issue, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The committee recently submitted its report to the government. According to the report, the committee recommended that the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections should be held together first. Following that, local body elections should be held within 100 days, so that elections at all levels can be completed within a fixed timeframe.

The primary aim of ‘One Nation, One Election’ is to reduce the frequency of elections and save resources. Frequent elections place a financial and administrative burden on both the government and the public. Holding elections simultaneously would lower administrative costs and reduce disruptions to developmental projects. However, there are arguments against this proposal. Opposition parties argue that it could harm regional parties and local issues might get overshadowed by national issues. Additionally, there are concerns that holding simultaneous elections could affect the parliamentary and democratic process.