The idea of “One Nation, One Election” has been part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election promises. It’s included as a proposed change to how elections are run in India, aiming to simplify the process by holding national and state elections at the same time.
The Union cabinet has agreed to move forward with the idea of “One Nation, One Election.” This means holding national, state, and local elections together, but in phases, after getting everyone across the country on board.
At Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, President Droupadi Murmu received a report on “One Nation, One Election” from former President Ram Nath Kovind, who leads the high-level committee on the matter. Home Minister Amit Shah was also present during the presentation.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that a special group will be set up to put the recommendations from the committee, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, into action. Over the next few months, there will be detailed discussions about it across the country.
He explained that the move towards holding simultaneous elections will happen in two phases. First, the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections will be held together, and within 100 days, the local body elections will follow in the second phase.
The Ram Nath Kovind committee has suggested 18 changes to the Constitution. Most of these changes won’t need approval from state assemblies, but Parliament will still need to pass special amendment bills to make them official.
Some proposed changes, like using a single voter ID card and a single electoral roll, would need approval from at least half of the states.
Additionally, the Law Commission is expected to release its own report on holding simultaneous elections soon. Prime Minister Modi strongly supports this idea. According to news reports, the commission may suggest starting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies (like municipalities and panchayats) in 2029. They may also recommend a “unity government” in case of situations like a hung parliament.
Simultaneous elections in the past
India had simultaneous elections between 1951 and 1967. The peak occurred in 1967, with elections in 20 states coinciding with the national elections for the Lower House of Parliament. In 1977, this number was 17, while in 1980 and 1985, 14 states held simultaneous elections.
Amendments in Articles 83 and Article 172 recommended
To make sure that holding elections at the same time doesn’t conflict with the Constitution, the Kovind committee has suggested changes to Article 83, which deals with the term of the Lok Sabha, and Article 172, which covers the term of state assemblies.
The committee proposed a one-time adjustment to sync up all elections. It suggested that after the general elections, the President would announce a specific date when the changes would take effect. This date would be called the “appointed date.”
Under a new clause, Article 82A, even if a state assembly hasn’t completed its five-year term, all state assemblies elected after the “appointed date” would end their term at the same time as the Lok Sabha.
Effect of the provision
The Kovind committee’s recommendation can be understood with an example. The next assembly elections in West Bengal (2026) and Karnataka (2028) would end in 2029, matching the term of the next Lok Sabha.
If the “One Nation, One Election” plan is adopted by 2029 and either the Lok Sabha or a state assembly is dissolved early due to a loss of majority, the committee recommends holding fresh elections. These would be considered “midterm elections,” and the new government would only serve the remaining time left in the term, known as the “unexpired term.”
This shift could also reduce no-confidence motions, as opposition parties may not see much benefit in removing a government, knowing that the new one would not serve a full five-year term.
