One Nation, One Election Bill, 2024

Context

• On December 17, 2024, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced two important bills in the Lok Sabha to give a real shape to the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) scheme.
• The first Constitution Amendment Bill is to make the term of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies simultaneous. The second bill is to amend the relevant Acts for Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, so that simultaneous elections can be held there too.
  • However, municipal elections have not been included in these bills yet.
• Implementation timeline: Simultaneous elections may start possibly in the year 2034.
  • Provided that both the 18th and 19th Lok Sabhas complete their five-year terms.
• The amendments proposed in the bill are in line with the recommendations of the High Level Committee on ONOE headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The committee had recommended that elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies should be held simultaneously in the first phase.
  • This committee submitted its report to President Draupadi Murmu in March 2024.

Key provisions of the proposed bill

• The first bill is the 129th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2024 which proposes to amend three articles of the Constitution (Articles 82, 83 and 327) and add a new Article 82A (1-7).
• Article 82A: This article will provide for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
  • Article 82A(1): The President may bring the proposed changes into effect on the date of the first meeting of the Lok Sabha after the general election.
  • Article 82A(2): The term of the elected state assemblies will end with the expiry of the full term of the Lok Sabha, before the appointed date. As a result, the term of some state assemblies will possibly be shortened in line with the five-year cycle of the Lok Sabha.
  • Article 82A(3): The Election Commission of India (ECI) will be responsible for holding simultaneous elections to both the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies.
  • Article 82A(4): Simultaneous elections shall be defined as general elections to the House of the People and all the Legislative Assemblies held simultaneously.
  • Article 82A(5): The Election Commission may recommend the postponement of elections to a particular State Assembly if it is not possible to hold them simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.
    • In this case, the postponed elections shall also be concluded with the expiry of the term of the Lok Sabha.
• Article 82A(6): If elections to an Assembly are postponed, the full term of that Assembly shall also expire with the full term of the Lok Sabha elected in the general election.
• Article 82A(7): The Election Commission shall, while issuing a notification for election to a Legislative Assembly, declare the date on which the full term of the Legislative Assembly shall expire.

Mid-term elections and impact

• Mid-term elections to Lok Sabha: The Bill also addresses scenarios where the government may fail to complete its five-year term. In such cases, there will be mid-term Lok Sabha elections but the next Lok Sabha will serve only for the remaining term. For example, if the Lok Sabha is dissolved after three years and two months, the next election will be held only for the remaining 22 months.
  • For this, new clauses are proposed to be added to Article 83 of the Constitution.
• State Assemblies and Mid-term Elections: If the Assembly of a state is dissolved before its full term, elections will be held for the remaining term of that Assembly. This will ensure synchronization with the Lok Sabha cycle.
  • For this, changes are also proposed in Article 172 of the Constitution. 

 Second Bill: Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• The Bill aims to extend the provisions for holding simultaneous elections to Union Territories including Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and other Union Territories governed by separate constitutional provisions.
• Amendments are proposed in the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963; National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

Historical Background

• Initially, general elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies were held simultaneously in the years 1951-52, 1957, 1962 and 1967.
• However, this coordination was disrupted due to premature dissolution of some state assemblies in the years 1968 and 1969.

Recommendations

• The Law Commission of India (170th Report) suggested that holding simultaneous elections should be the general rule, with exceptions only in a few cases.
• The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee (79th Report) also supported the idea and recommended alternative methods to reduce the frequency of elections and proposed solutions to the challenges of holding simultaneous elections.

Need for Simultaneous Elections

• Holding simultaneous elections has become costly and time consuming.
• The enforcement of Model Code of Conduct disrupts normal public life, development programmes and essential services.
• Simultaneous elections will reduce the administrative and financial burden on the country.

Arguments in favour of ONOE

• Cost efficiency: Simultaneous elections will significantly reduce government costs as resources can be used more efficiently by holding elections simultaneously.
• Better resource management: Election-related resources, including personnel and security forces, will be better utilised, eliminating the need for repeated deployment during separate elections.
• Policy paralysis: The frequency of elections leads to policy paralysis as the government cannot announce or implement any new important policy due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
• Increase in voter turnout: A single election process can reduce voter fatigue, resulting in increased voter turnout.
• Political stability: Simultaneous elections can reduce frequent electoral cycles and political disruptions, thereby prolonging the period of stability in governance.
• Focus on national issues: Reduced frequency of elections can allow governments to focus more on national issues and governance rather than being distracted by constant campaigning.

Arguments against ONOE

• Logistical challenges: Different regions of a large and diverse country like India have different infrastructure and security needs, making coordination difficult.
• Weakening of federalism: ONOE may lead to the dominance of national parties in state assembly elections, marginalizing regional parties and issues. This may weaken the federal structure and the autonomy of state governments.
• Risk of political instability: If the results of national and state elections differ, it may lead to unstable coalition governments at both national and state levels, creating governance challenges.
• Voter confusion: Multiple simultaneous elections may confuse voters, especially when multiple parties and candidates are contesting. This may lead to miscalculations and lower voter participation.
• Reduced accountability: ONOE may reduce the accountability of governments to the public, as politicians are more likely to be accountable by facing voters more than once every five years.
• Initial implementation costs: Although ONOE may lead to long-term cost savings, the change will require extensive changes to the electoral system, which will incur significant initial costs and time.

Way Forward

• Phased implementation: A phased approach can be adopted, where elections are held simultaneously for a few states or regions before nationwide implementation. This can provide time to address logistical challenges and test the system.
• Strengthening electoral infrastructure: Election machinery will need to be significantly upgraded to handle the increased complexity and scale of conducting simultaneous elections. Investments in technology, training and infrastructure will be essential.
• Consensus building: Building consensus involving all stakeholders, political parties, civil society and the public is crucial for the success of such an initiative.
• Public awareness and education: Awareness campaigns will be important to educate voters about the benefits of ONOE as well as explain the process to avoid confusion about issues during joint elections.
• Addressing regional concerns: Adequate safeguards should be put in place to ensure that regional concerns are not overshadowed by national issues. Political parties may consider campaign strategies that maintain a balance between national and state-specific themes.