One Nation One Election refers to holding elections for the Lok Sabha, all state assemblies, and local bodies simultaneously to streamline governance and reduce costs.
Historical Practice: Simultaneous elections were conducted in India from 1951-1967 but were disrupted due to premature dissolutions of assemblies and the Lok Sabha.
Scope: ONOE covers elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, with municipal and panchayat elections synchronized within 100 days.
Constitutional Articles Involved in ONOE:
Article 83 & 172: Relates to the duration of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, requiring amendments for synchronization.
Article 324A: Proposed for establishing logistical mechanisms for simultaneous elections.
Article 368: Governs constitutional amendments requiring state ratification for changes impacting local bodies.
Need for One Nation One Election:
Reduced Costs: ONOE aims to cut the high financial burden of frequent elections.
Governance Efficiency: Eliminates prolonged disruptions caused by the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Resource Optimization: Reduces diversion of security forces and personnel from essential duties.
Voter Fatigue: Prevents declining voter turnout caused by repeated elections.
Ramnath Kovind Committee Recommendations:
Two-Phase Elections:
Phase 1: Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
Phase 2: Local body elections within 100 days.
New Article 82A: Specifies terms and synchronization mechanisms for assemblies and Lok Sabha.
Midterm Polls: Ensures new elections for dissolved assemblies/Lok Sabha align with the national cycle.
Single Electoral Roll: A unified roll for all elections to streamline processes.
Logistical Planning: Advance procurement of EVMs, VVPATs, and deployment of personnel.
Challenges of ONOE:
Overshadowing Regional Issues: National issues may dominate, sidelining local priorities.
Impact on Regional Parties: Smaller parties may lose relevance, affecting political diversity.
Federalism Concerns: Centralized decision-making may undermine state autonomy.
Logistical Hurdles: Requires a significant scale-up in infrastructure, resources, and trained personnel.
Midterm Dissolutions: Aligning dissolved assemblies with the national cycle is complex.
Read more: Space Debris
