Articles on 11 June 2025

The One Nation, One Election Bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha with a ratio of 269 votes in favour and 198 votes against the passing of the bill. The bill proposes to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, State Legislative assemblies and local body elections across the whole country. This proposal aims to align the election process leading to cost cutting and better governance by eliminating election related disruptions. This bill was analysed by a high-level committee chaired by President Ram Nath Kovind. While the opposition is still against this bill, a major number of leaders are looking at the benefits and consistently this bill could bring. In this article, we will look at this bill and the benefits and significance of this proposal. 

One Nation One Election Bill Latest Updates

The One Nation One Election Bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha with 269 votes being in favour of the bill and 198 votes against passing the motion. The bill was approved by the Union Cabinet with an aim to align the election processes of states and Union Territories including Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry and New Delhi. The bill has been proposed to be deliberated through a Joint Parliamentary Committee(JPC). The report issued by the JPC will have to get approval by the Cabinet in order to be discussed in the parliament again. 

One Nation One Election Bill Overview 

Also known as simultaneous elections, one nation one election bill aims to hold all the elections including that of Lok Sabha, State Elections and panchayat that is the local body electrons all at once. In this manner, voters will be able to cast their votes for both the Lok Sabha and State elections all on the same day. 

The initiative will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase the Lok Sabha and State elections will be held together and in the second phase the local body elections that includes panchayats and municipalities elections will be conducted within 100 days of general elections. 

One Nation One Election Bill History 

The years 1951-52, 1962 and 1967 witnessed simultaneous elections dating back the concept of one nation one election to the early years of Indian Independence. This process was only discontinued after the 1967 elections due to the premature dissolution of a few state assemblies and Lok Sabha in 1970. Since then the elections are being conducted separately which is only leading to increased costs. The concept of one nation one election has been revived recently with the aim of aligning India’s electoral process.

One Nation One Election Advantages and Disadvantages

A bill can only be taken forward with analyzing its positives and negatives. Let's have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of One Nation One Election Bill: 

One Nation One Election Bill Advantages

• Cost Reduction: It could save money by eliminating the need for separate election cycles.
• Focus on Long-Term Governance: It encourages politicians to prioritize long-term governance over short-term gains.
• Increased Voter Turnout: Voters are less fatigued, as they only participate once every few years, potentially boosting voter turnout.
• Level Playing Field: Smaller parties can compete more effectively with larger ones due to reduced overall election expenses.
• Efficient Use of Security Forces: It allows security forces to be deployed more efficiently for other purposes.

One Nation One Election Bill Disadvantages

• Synchronization Challenges: Synchronizing elections in a diverse democracy like India can be difficult, particularly if governments lose confidence in their assemblies.
• Constitutional and Federalism Issues: Its implementation may require constitutional changes and could potentially challenge the federal nature of the Indian political system.
• Impact on Voter Behavior: Voters may confuse national and state issues in simultaneous elections, blurring the distinctiveness of state-level politics.
• Impact on Regional Parties: It may favour larger national parties, potentially disadvantaging regional parties.
• Accountability Concerns: Fixed terms without the threat of election could reduce government accountability and encourage autocratic tendencies.

One Nation One Election Bill Implementations

The implementation of the One Nation, One Election policy is not feasible within the current constitutional framework. To enable this policy, certain essential amendments to the Constitution are necessary, including:

1. Article 83: Concerning the duration of the Houses of Parliament, amendments are required to fix the tenure and timing for the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
2. Article 85: Pertaining to sessions, prorogation, and dissolution of Parliament, clear guidelines must be established to prevent arbitrary or ambiguous dissolution of sessions.
3. Article 172: Governing the duration of State Legislatures, amendments are needed to synchronize their tenure with that of the Lok Sabha.
4. Article 174: Similar to Article 85, this article deals with sessions, prorogation, and dissolution of State Legislatures. Amendments are required to standardize procedures and timelines.

These amendments are critical to harmonize the electoral processes at both the central and state levels, ensuring the successful implementation of the policy.

Challenges in Implementing One Nation One Election Bill

While the One Nation One Election implementation could significantly bring down the costs of conducting the elections and align the administrative practices, there are a few challenges that cannot be ignored: 

•  Overshadowing Regional Issues: Holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies could lead to national issues dominating the discourse, sidelining important regional and state-specific concerns.
• Impact on Regional Parties: Simultaneous elections may disproportionately benefit national political parties, putting regional parties at a disadvantage and potentially diluting their influence.
• Political Accountability: Frequent elections foster greater accountability among lawmakers by subjecting them to regular public scrutiny. Fixed terms, on the other hand, could provide stability at the cost of reduced performance evaluation, challenging democratic ideals.
• Federalism Concerns: Amendments to the Constitution regarding the term of State Legislative Assemblies under Article 172 can be enacted without requiring ratification by the states, potentially limiting their role and undermining the federal structure.
• Logistical Challenges: Implementing the One Nation, One Election policy would demand substantial resources, including a vast number of electronic voting machines and trained personnel to manage the extensive process efficiently.