The esteemed committee, led by ex-President Ramnath Kovind, has presented its comprehensive report on the “one nation, one election” idea to President Droupadi Murmu. The report advocates for synchronising Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.
To begin the process of conducting simultaneous elections, the committee has proposed shortening the term of state assemblies elected after the first sitting of the newly-elected Lok Sabha until the subsequent Lok Sabha elections. If the upcoming government endorses this proposal, synchronous polls could occur as soon as 2029. According to the report, if a government collapses at the Centre or in a state, elections should only be held for the remaining term to ensure the concurrent electoral schedule remains intact. Prior to finalising its report, the committee engaged in discussions with political leaders, experts, and representatives from civil society for 191 days.
The committee proposed a two-stage plan. Initially, calling for the synchronisation of Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, followed by local body elections such as panchayats and municipal corporations after a 100-day interval. It recommended the uniform utilisation of voter lists and IDs across all electoral processes.
This measure will cut costs and resource consumption. Despite reaching out to 62 political parties for feedback, only 47 responded. Among them, 32 parties favoured the concept of concurrent elections, while 15 parties objected.
Among the six national parties, only the BJP and the Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party showed support, while the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, and CPI(M) opposed simultaneous elections. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi led by KCR, Indian Union Muslim League, J&K National Conference, JD(S), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, NCP under Sharad Pawar, RJD, RSP, YSRCP, Telugu Desam Party, RLD, Akali Dal under Mann, Sikkim Democratic Front, and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party did not provide a response.
Asaduddin Owaisi, the head of AIMIM, accused the BJP of aiming to establish a “one-party state” in India and warned that enforcing “one nation, one election” could jeopardise our federal structure. Owaisi contended that frequent elections hold political parties and leaders accountable to the people. Conversely, if a government’s term is fixed at five years, the ruling party may operate without pressure for the duration.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh denounced “one nation, one election” as a farce, accusing Prime Minister Modi of aiming for “one nation, no election” imposition.
The Aam Aadmi Party responded by stating that simultaneous elections could potentially undermine democracy, the fundamental structure of the Constitution, and federal principles. Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress expressed concern that compelling states to conduct early elections would violate the constitution and neglect state-specific issues. Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party warned that simultaneous elections might shift focus from regional to national concerns, disadvantaging state-level parties against better-resourced national parties. The CPI(M) condemned the concept as fundamentally anti-democratic, challenging the essence of the Constitution’s parliamentary democratic system. The ongoing discourse on “one nation, one election” is not a novel one.
Prime Minister Modi first proposed this idea six years ago, forming a high-level committee the following year. Personally, I find the suggestion commendable. Elections occur almost annually, with the Lok Sabha elections taking place this year, followed by assembly elections in six states three months later. Subsequently, three more states will announce their elections. In 2026, five states will hold assembly polls, with six states following suit in 2027.
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In 2028, ten states are set to hold assembly elections, followed by the Lok Sabha elections in 2029. The enforcement of the model code of conduct typically occurs upon the announcement of poll dates, which can impede development progress. During this period, the election machinery is active, para-military forces are deployed, and significant funds are allocated for the electoral process. Consolidating all elections could result in saving several lakh crore rupees, in addition to preserving valuable time.
Deploying these resources for other tasks is feasible; however, the implementation of the ‘one nation, one election’ concept appears to be a formidable challenge. The 2029 Lok Sabha elections achieving this feat would indeed mark a significant milestone. Observing Modi’s operational approach, the perception of the impossible diminishes. This shift in perspective has left opposition leaders apprehensive, realising that once Modi is resolute, he is committed to execution, whether it involves revoking Article 370 or enacting the Citizenship Amendment Act.
