ONE NATION ONE ELECTION

 

• “One Nation, One Election” is a proposed electoral system that aims to synchronize elections across all Indian states and the Lok Sabha (the lower house of parliament). This concept calls for a significant restructuring of the Indian electoral cycle, enabling voters to participate in both state assembly and Lok Sabha elections on the same day or through phased voting.
• Historical Context: Simultaneous elections were a standard practice in India until 1967. However, this practice began to change following the dissolution of certain Legislative Assemblies in 1968 and 1969. The idea of reverting to simultaneous polls gained traction over the years:
  • 1983- Election Commission’s Proposal: The concept of simultaneous elections was initially proposed in the annual report of the Election Commission in 1983.
  • 1999- Law Commission’s Inclusion: The Law Commission’s report in 1999 also discussed the idea of “One Nation, One Election.”
  • 2017- Niti Aayog’s Working Paper: In January 2017, Niti Aayog prepared a working paper on the subject, further exploring the feasibility of this electoral reform. 
  • 2018- Law Commission’s Recommendations: In April 2018, the Law Commission emphasized that implementing “One Nation, One Election” would require at least “five Constitutional recommendations.”

Challenges to Implementing ‘One Nation One Election’

1. Synchronization of Terms

• A critical challenge is aligning the terms of the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies to enable simultaneous elections.
• Currently, terms vary, leading to different completion dates. Some assemblies had elections recently, while others are due soon.

2. Constitutional Amendments Required

• Achieving term synchronization necessitates amendments to several key articles of the Indian Constitution, including:

• Additionally, amendments to the Representation of the People Act and related parliamentary procedures are also necessary.

3. Parliamentary Form of Government

• India’s parliamentary system makes it accountable to the Lower House (Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly). We will provide such types of current affairs updates through Plutus IAS which is the best IAS coaching in Delhi with great record of successful UPSC aspirants every year.
• Government can fall before completing its term, triggering the need for a new election, posing a challenge to the concept of fixed-term elections.

4. Political Consensus

• Convincing all political parties to support “One Nation One Election” is a formidable obstacle.
• Parties may have differing views and interests, making consensus difficult to achieve.
• The article regarding the topic of one nation one election is written by Rishabh and the it is reviewed by our extremely qualified and experienced faculty Dr. Bijendra Jha. Please read the complete article and witness one of the biggest election reforms in Indian democracy proposed by Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi.