An Explanation of “One Nation, One Election”: What Is It and How Can It Operate?
“One Nation, One Election” means that all Indians will vote for both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the same year, if not at the same time.
A committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind suggested this idea. They studied how it works in other countries and talked to 39 political parties, economists, and the Election Commission of India. They support the idea but want a solid plan to make it happen.
They think holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections at the same time, followed by local body elections later, could work well.
The proposal was part of the BJP’s plans in 2019, but it has faced criticism from the opposition because of legal issues.
What Is ‘One Nation One Election’?
- “One Nation, One Election” means that all Indians would vote for both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the same year, if not at the same time.
- Currently, some states like Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Odisha hold their state elections at the same time as the Lok Sabha election in April/May. Others, like Maharashtra, Haryana, and Jharkhand, vote later in the year. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir must hold its first Assembly election in six years before September 30, as ordered by the Supreme Court.
- However, most states follow their own five-year cycle. For example, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana held elections at different times last year.
- Syncing all these elections poses many challenges, including logistical, financial, legal, and practical issues due to the vast differences between regions in India.
Why Is Government Pushing ‘One Nation, One Election’?
- Before the Ram Nath Kovind-led panel was formed last year, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal explained why the government supports the idea of simultaneous elections and mentioned some challenges.
- Mr. Meghwal said that having all elections at once would save money because it would reduce the need to send poll officials and security forces multiple times a year. This would also lower costs for the government and political parties during election campaigns.
- The “One Nation, One Election” idea was part of the BJP’s promises in 2019. However, the opposition has criticized it, mainly because they are concerned about constitutional issues.
Challenges To ‘One Nation, One Election’
- Besides making sure all political parties agree and minimizing disruption to governance, there’s still uncertainty about how to handle breaks like when Houses are dissolved, or when President’s Rule is imposed, or even if there’s a tied Assembly or Parliament.
- Smaller regional parties have pointed out that they might struggle to highlight local issues effectively due to limited resources, especially when bigger parties focus more on national elections.
- Another worry is the ongoing expense of buying electronic voting machines, which the election commission says will cost nearly ₹10,000 crore every 15 years.