Modi govt clears ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal: 10 key questions on simultaneous polls answered here

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ – aligning polls for both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday.

The report of a high-level committee pitching for simultaneous polls across the country was placed before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday for approval.

The committee, headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind, has recommended amending the last five articles of the Constitution to enable the holding of simultaneous polls in the country.

The report was submitted to President Droupadi Murmu in March this year, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. A bill to this effect is likely to be introduced in Parliament during the upcoming winter session, according to reports.

The report lays down a roadmap for the implementation of simultaneous elections in India. The committee had recommended conducting concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies as the first phase, to be followed by synchronised local body polls within a 100-day period.

Here is a list of frequently asked questions on ‘One Nation, One Election’ and the answers:

1- What is One Nation, One Election?

‘One Nation, One Election’ basically means holding elections to Lok Sabha, all the state assemblies, and local bodies – municipalities and panchayats, together.

2- Have simultaneous polls been held before?

The first four general elections of India were simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The Congress party was in power at both the national and state levels then. Hence it was possible until the fourth general election in 1967. Later, the elections were held separately due to the advancing of Lok Sabha polls by the Congress.

As things stand, India today faces five to six elections each year. If municipal and panchayat elections are also included, the number of elections will increase manifold.

As happened in 2024, the Lok Sabha elections coincide with just four state assembly elections – Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.

3- Why ‘One Nation, One Election?’

‘One Nation, One Election’ has been discussed, supported and opposed by political parties for quite some time now.

Those who support it argue that frequent elections burden the government exchequer. Also, asynchronous elections lead to disruption of government machinery causing hardship to citizens.

The frequent use of government officials and security forces adversely affects the discharge of their duties and frequent imposition of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) causes policy paralysis and slows down the pace of the developmental programmes, say those who support the idea.

Those who oppose say the changes would also be required in the Constitution and other legal frameworks.

Simultaneous polls would need a constitutional amendment and then it would need to be taken to state assemblies.

There is also a concern that regional issues might get overshadowed by national issues, affecting the electoral outcome at the state level.

4 – The Modi Push

PM Modi has been a strong proponent of the ‘One Nation, One Election.’ In his Independence Day speech this year, Modi again called for an end to the ‘disruption’ caused by frequent elections that, he said, was hindering the country’s progress.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had also listed the policy as a promise in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The Law Commission of India is expected to release its own report on the subject soon, according to reports.

The BJP has been pushing to hold simultaneous elections since it came to power in 2014. The NITI Aayog backed the proposal in 2017, and next year, the then President, Ram Nath Kovind, mentioned it in his address to the joint session of Parliament.

In August 2018, the Law Commission released a draft report examining the legal-constitutional aspects. In his Independence Day speech in 2019, Modi reiterated the need to hold simultaneous elections.

5 – The high-level panel?

In September 2023, the Union government constituted a six-member panel led by former President Kovind to ‘examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections.’ 

The other members of the panel are Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Finance Commission chairman NK Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash Kashyap and senior advocate Harish Salve.

The panel held 65 meetings at Jodhpur Officer’s Hostel in New Delhi as on March 10, 2024, before submitting its report to President Droupadi Murmu in March this year, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. 

The report was placed before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday where it was approved.

6 – The key recommendations

The Committee has recommended amendments to the Constitution to enable simultaneous elections in two phases.

In the first phase, simultaneous elections will be held for the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies. In the second phase, elections to the municipalities and the panchayats will be held within 100 days of general elections.

The panel also recommended amendments to the Constitution to enable the Election Commission of India to prepare a single electoral roll and EPIC in consultation with the State Election Commissions. These amendments will require ratification by not less than half of the states.

7 – What in case of a hung House?

In the event of a hung House, no-confidence motion, or any such event, fresh elections should be held to constitute the new House of the People or State Legislative Assembly for the unexpired term of the House of the People.

The Committee recommends that to meet logistical requirements, the Election Commission of India will plan and estimate in advance in consultation with the State Election Commissions, and take steps for the deployment of manpower, polling personnel, security forces and EVMs/VVPATs so that free and fair simultaneous elections are held in all three tiers of government.

8 – Local body elections synchronised with Assembly and Lok Sabha polls

Elections to the municipalities and the panchayats (local bodies) will be synchronised with the House of the People (Lok Sabha) and the State Legislative Assemblies in such a way that municipal and panchayat elections are held within a hundred days of Lok Sabha polls and the StateLegislative Assembly polls. This will require ratification by not less than one half of the States.

9 – The Advantages

The argument in favour of simultaneous elections is that it will ensure ease and convenience to voters, avoid voters’ fatigue and facilitate greater voter turnout.

Also, conducting elections to all three tiers of government together would avoid disruption of supply chains and production cycles due to migrant workers seeking leave of absence to cast their vote and reduce the financial burden on the government exchequer.

10 – Are there international examples?

The panel studied the system of simultaneous elections in countries such as South Africa, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The Committee held that considering the uniqueness of its polity, it would be best to develop an appropriate model for India.