Author: Devraj Sankla, Student at University College of Law, Osmania University.
Introduction:
One Nation, One Election is a concept that aims to synchronize all the elections in the India, from the Lok Sabha (parliament elections) to state assemblies and local bodies (Municipalities and Panchayat elections) all the elections would be held simultaneously within a specific time period. This proposal is promoted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. The main reason is to hold all elections at the same time is to save the resources, reduce the frequency of elections, reduce the costs for elections and to enhance citizens participation in the election. To implement this concept, it would require significant changes to the Constitution of India. The concept of one election is discussed and supported by the government and government may face many challenges to implement it. An eight-member high-level committee on ‘One Nation, One Election’ was formed by the Law Ministry under the Government of India.
Committee on One Nation One Election:
On 2nd September 2023, the Law Ministry of India formed a high-level eight-member committee on One Nation One Election. The committee is headed by former President of India Ram Nath Kovind, as chairman and Dr. Niten Chandra was the Secretary of the Committee, along with seven other members which includes Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation: Shri Amit Shah, former Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha: Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chairman of 15th Finance Commission: Shri N.K. Singh, former Lok Sabha Secretary General: Dr. Subhash C. Kashyap, Senior Advocate: Shri Harish Salve, and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner: Shri Sanjay Kothari and Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Law and Justice: Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, was a Special Invitee to the High-level Committee on Simultaneous Elections.
In March, 2024 the high-level committee led by Former Indian President Ram Nath Kovind met the Hon’ble President of India, Shrimati Droupadi Murmu, and submitted its Report. The Report was consisted of 18,626 pages. It is an outcome of extensive research, consultations with experts and stakeholders. It took work of 191 days, to make the report on One Nation One Election. According to the report 47 political parties submitted their views and suggestions, out of which 32 supported the idea of One Nation One Election and 15 political parties refused to respond to the questions. The committee received 21,558 responses from the citizens from all over India, and 80 per cent of the respondents supported simultaneous elections. Four former Chief judges of India and twelve former Chief judges of major High Courts, four former Chief Election Officers of India, eight State Election Officers, and Chairman, Law Commission of India were invited by the Committee for commerce in person. The views of the Election Commission of India were also sought by the committee. Business associations like the CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM and prominent economists of country were also consulted to present their views on the economic impacts of simultaneous elections.
After considering all the suggestions from citizens and consulting experts and shareholders from various field such as conducting elections, law and economics, the committee recommend a two-step approach to conduct simultaneous elections. In the first step, the elections for Lok Sabha and the elections for the State Legislative Assemblies will held simultaneously. In the second step, the Municipalities and the Panchayats elections will be synchronized with the elections of Lok Sabha and the elections for the Legislative Assemblies of States in such a way that Municipalities and Panchayats elections will be held within hundred days of holding elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies. The Committee also recommended that there should be a single electoral roll and Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) for all the elections in country. The Committee has crafted its recommendations in a way that they are in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution and would require bare minimum amendments to the Constitution of India.
Recently, in September 2024, the Union Cabinet has accepted the report of the One Nation One Election committee. In the upcoming Winter session of Parliament, a bill to implement simultaneous elections is expected to be introduced by the government. This initiative aims to synchronise Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly elections, which has been a part of the Modi government’s 100-day agenda. Prime Minister Modi has frequently supported the concept of One Nation One Election, arguing that the country incurs significant costs from ongoing election seasons.
History of One Nation One Elections in India:
In India, Simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies were standard until 1967. The practice was first disrupted when Kerala’s government was dismissed in 1959. In 1967 elections Congress party saw a series of defeats, leading to unstable governments and early dissolutions of many state assemblies. It led to separate the election cycles for Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies elections. In 1983, The Election Commission of India proposed reintroducing simultaneous elections in India. In 1999, The 15th Law Commission, led by Justice B P Jeevan Reddy, advocated for simultaneous elections in India in 170th report of law commission. In 2015, A Parliamentary Standing Committee report highlighted the benefits of simultaneous elections, like reduced election costs and minimized disruptions. However, opposition parties like Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI(M), and CPI criticized the idea as impractical or unconstitutional. In 2018, the 21st Law Commission, led by Justice B S Chauhan, concluded that constitutional amendments would be needed to implement simultaneous elections. Simultaneous elections would require amendments to the Constitution, particularly to Articles 83, 85, 172, and 174, which govern the duration and dissolution of the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies. The process involves a complex changes in Legislative.
Benefits of One Nation One Election:
Simultaneous elections will significantly reduce costs associated with conducting separate elections at different time and increase administrative efficiency. By avoiding frequent impositions of the Model Code of Conduct, the government can continue with public welfare projects without interruption. Some important advantages of One Nation One Elections:
1. Cost Efficiency: Simultaneous elections would significantly reduce the financial burden on the government. For example, in 2014 the government spent Rs 3,870 to conduct the Lok Sabha elections, while Bihar’s 2015 Assembly elections alone cost was Rs 300 crore. In comparison, the Election Commission of India (ECI) estimates that implementing ‘One Nation One Election’ would cost around Rs 4,500 crore, saving substantial public resources that would otherwise be spent on multiple electoral cycles.
2. Administrative Efficiency: Conducting elections simultaneously would optimize the allocation of administrative resources. Currently, elections require the deployment of security forces in every state over months. For example, during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, over 1.1 crore personnel were deployed across various states across the country, pulling resources from their regular duties. Conducting elections simultaneously would improve resource utilization and allow civil servants and security forces to be more effectively allocated to governance and internal security matters.
3. Reduced Election Expenditure for Political Parties: The political parties can save money and resources if the elections are held simultaneously. Political parties can focus on a single, larger campaign and minimizing costs that would have been spent on separate Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly elections.
4. Enhanced Governance: With continuous elections across country, governments be inclined to be in ‘election mode,’ they focus on short-term policies instead of long-term developmental strategies. If elections are held simultaneously the central and state governments can concentrate on governance for a long term, free from the distraction of frequent elections.
5. Increased Voter Turnout: Simultaneous elections can improve voter turnout by making the process more convenient to voters. Simultaneous elections across country could lead to higher voter participation in the elections, as it would simplify the voting process, allowing citizens to vote for both state and national elections at once. For example, during the 2019 elections in Andhra Pradesh, where both Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections were held simultaneously, voter turnout was significantly higher at around 79.8% compared to other states where elections were held on different time.
Drawbacks of the One Nation One Election:
There are several advantages of One Nation One Elections but there are some disadvantages also. The disadvantages are:
1. Security Concerns: Simultaneous elections would require more deployment of security personnel to maintain law and order across the country. For example, during the 2019 general elections, around 1 million security personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed. Simultaneous elections would require a much larger deployment of security personnel. In a country like India, securing elections in states with high militancy, like Jammu & Kashmir and parts of the Northeast, could be challenging.
2. Logistical Issues: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has estimated that for conducting simultaneous elections, it would require over 53 lakh ballot units, control units, and VVPATs, which will take time and resources to manufacture. For example, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, ECI deployed over 17.4 lakh VVPAT machines across India, but simultaneous elections the demand of VVPAT machines would be more than double. The production of these VVPAT machines is handled by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), both of which would need lot of time to meet the demand.
3. Voter Behaviour: Holding elections Simultaneously may lead to “contagion voting,” a situation where voters are more likely to cast their votes for the same party at both state and national levels. For instance, research by the IDFC Institute in India found that when the elections to State Assemblies and Lok Sabha are conducted together, there is a 77% probability of voters selecting the same party for both levels. However, this probability decreases to 61% when elections are separated by a few months.
4. Constitutional and Legal Challenges: The High-Level Committee, in its report on One Nation One Election recommend 18 constitutional amendments to make simultaneous elections possible. Key changes would include amendments to Article 83, which governs the term of the Parliament, and Article 172, which regulates the term of state legislative assemblies. Moreover, to synchronize the local elections the report proposed a new Article 324A, which would allow simultaneous elections for panchayats and municipalities, creating a more unified election system across the country.
Conclusion:
The concept of One Nation, One Election that aims to synchronize all the elections, from the Lok Sabha (parliament elections) to state legislative assemblies and local bodies (Municipalities and Panchayat elections) all the elections would be held simultaneously within a specific time period. The government formed a high-level committee on simultaneous elections. It was headed by former president Shri. Ram Nath Kovind. The committee submitted the report to the president and recently the government accepted the report. There are benefits and drawbacks for implementing simultaneous elections. The main challenge is to amend the constitution and implement simultaneous elections.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
1. What is One Nation One Election?
A. One Nation, One Election is a concept that aims to synchronize all the elections in the India, from the Lok Sabha (parliament elections) to state assemblies and local bodies (Municipalities and Panchayat elections) all the elections would be held simultaneously within a specific time period.
2. Who is the Chairman of the High-Level committee on One Nation One Election?
A. Former President of India, Shri. Ram Nath Kovind is the chairman the High-Level committee on One Nation One Election.
3. Till which year the elections were held simultaneously in India?
A. Till 1967 the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections were held simultaneously.
4. What are the benefits of One Nation One Election?
A. The benefits of One Nation One Election are Cost Efficiency, Administrative Efficiency, Reduced Election Expenditure for Political Parties, Enhanced Governance and Increased Voter Turnout.
5. What are the drawbacks of One Nation One Election?
A. The drawbacks of One Nation One Election are Security Concerns, Logistical Issues, Voter Behaviour and Constitutional and Legal Challenges.
Sources: Various News websites on the Internet.
