INTRODUCTION: –
“One Nation, One Election” is a notion that advocates the arrangement of elections in a country on a single date or within a certain period of time. For example, Sweden holds general elections for the national parliament (Riksdag), regional councils, and municipal councils simultaneously every four years on the second Sunday of September[1].
Other countries, such as Indonesia, South Africa, Belgium, and Germany, also follow the philosophy of One Nation, One Election in different ways. It aims to simplify all election procedures across the nation.
‘One Nation, One Election’ in India :–
ONOE (One Nation, One Election) is a recent proposal under consideration by the Government of India to synchronise all elections in the country either on a single day or within a specific period of time, with different objectives. One of its most notable proposals is to simultaneously conduct elections to the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies of all twenty-eight states and all Union Territories.
Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Minister of Law and Justice, introduced the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha. It was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 19th December 2024[2], and it is still a topic of debate across the nation.
‘One Nation, One Election’: In a Positive Light :–
The main positive impact of ONOE is the huge reduction in election costs. Investment in manpower, equipment, and security on different occasions results in large expenditures for every election; synchronising all of them will help reduce the budgetary burden.
Nearly ₹1.35 lakh crore was spent in the 2024 elections, which is the highest in the world[3]. Another major opportunity presented by ONOE is the boost in voter participation. Voters will feel ease in casting votes within a certain time period; they would not need to bear the headache of going to polling booths repeatedly. This would also reduce election-related offences and disputes.
In our country, elections not only secure the democratic rights of citizens but also invite various crimes. When all elections are conducted within a limited period, the scope of crimes would reduce, giving some relief to the courts as well.
Legal advice was taken from four former Chief Justices of India, three former Chief Justices of different High Courts, and the public. The results showed that 81% were in favour of ONOE[4]. This is not the first time India has considered ONOE; simultaneous polls were held in the country from 1951 to 1967. It is not a concept of a single vote on a single date alone, so it does not affect the spirit of federalism. The suggested amendment does not hurt the Basic Structure Doctrine either.
To ensure transparency, the panel included the former Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was also offered to be a part of it, but he declined[5]. The former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Rajiv Kumar, stated that the Election Commission is ready to arrange ONOE[6]. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister of India, claimed that it could boost GDP by 1.5%[7]. It can be said that India has the infrastructure required for ONOE.
‘One Nation, One Election’: In a Critical Perspective :–
There are a large number of people who are against the notion of ONOE. Some argue that the philosophy itself is against Indian federalism and would result in centralisation of power.
It is a rule of elections that legislative assemblies must dissolve for elections, but dissolving all legislative assemblies across the nation at the same time may result in anarchy. President’s Rule can also be misused. If all elections are conducted at the same time and results are announced together, there may be no significant improvements for the next five years, as leaders may assume their position is stable. However, when elections are conducted periodically, leaders tend to work harder to win the trust of the electorate through better services and welfare measures.
If elections are conducted under the philosophy of ONOE, national issues will receive priority, while regional issues may remain unnoticed. Major political parties may dominate campaigns, and voters may naturally shift their attention towards the Lok Sabha elections. This would curtail the power of regional parties, as voters often support different parties in different elections. Simultaneous elections may pressure voters to support a single political party within a short time frame.
Administrative capacity is also questionable—if peace is disturbed during state elections alone, managing over 96 crore electors simultaneously would be extremely challenging. The Basic Structure of the Constitution may also be hampered due to amendments to multiple Articles together[8] [Articles 83(2)[9], 172(1)[10], 356[11], 85(1)[12], 174(2)[13], 325[14], 324[15], and 82[16]].
If the concern is election expenditure, India is the largest democracy in the world and should invest in elections to cherish democracy rather than investing in politically coloured welfare schemes. The opposition to this notion is also significant, as there is inadequate representation of opposition members in the high-level committee. When the proposal was presented in the Lok Sabha, 269 members voted in favour, while 198 voted against it[17]. P. Chidambaram described the high-level committee as a “puppet committee.”[18]
Conclusion :–
The 23rd Law Commission has shared its initial views with the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining this issue. It stated that the proposals do not violate the Constitution’s Basic Structure and that the Model Code of Conduct does not require statutory backing, while federalism and voters’ rights remain fully protected.
Synchronising elections alters only the frequency and timing of polls and does not dilute the democratic right to vote[19]. It also does not require ratification by the states, as it does not fall under Article 368(2).
ONOE is not a shoe that fits everyone; it can be altered from its rigid form according to the country’s circumstances. Just as Indira Gandhi advocated that India should have its “own brand of socialism,” it can be concluded that India will have its “own brand of One Nation, One Election.”
Author(s) Name: Krishti Bhattacharyya & Bikram Biswas (S. K. Acharya Institute of Law & S. K. Acharya Institute of Law)
References:
[1] Sweden.se, ‘The Swedish Government’ (n.d.) <https://share.google/XzXwodL6fsYyUgCBW> accessed 18 December 2025
[2] One Nation, One Election: A proposal whose time has come’ (DD News, n.d.) <https://ddnews.gov.in/en/one-nation-one-election-a-proposal-whose-time-has-come/> accessed 09 January 2026
[3] Aishwarya Paliwal, ‘Most Expensive Polls Ever? Nearly Rs 1.35 Lakh Crore Spent in 2024 Election’ (India Today, 31 May 2024) <https://share.google/L2vMQ60V7amLcKisi> accessed 18 December 2025
[4] Scroll Staff, ‘81% of citizen responses favour ‘one nation, one election’, says Centre’ (Scroll.in, 22 January 2024) <https://share.google/Tr3EVTPVLqZzE5FXI> accessed 18 December 2025
[5] ”One Nation, One Election’: Govt forms 8-member panel, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declines to be part of it’ (Times of India, 2 September 2023) <https://share.google/cQ0opje0I9JtLQc8g> accessed 18 December 2025
[6] ‘The Economic Impact of Simultaneous Elections’ (Financial Chronicle, 15 May 2024) <https://share.google/Wypj2iZ3WLkBokyuJ> accessed 18 December 2025
[7] ‘One nation, one election can boost GDP by 1.5%, save Rs 12,000 crore’: Nirmala Sitharaman’ (Times of India, 6 April 2025) <https://share.google/u87k4DYjuDQbD2uZx> accessed 18 December 2025
[8] Adv. Rajiv Sharma, ‘‘One Nation, One Election’: a heinous conspiracy to destroy the Constitution’ (Congress Sandesh, 11 October 2024) <https://share.google/EYukhoERUfuyr6aiu> accessed 18 December 2025
[9] The Constitution of India 1950, art. 83, clause 2
[10] The Constitution of India 1950, art. 172, clause 1
[11] The Constitution of India 1950, art. 356
[12] The Constitution of India 1950, art. 85, clause 1
[13] The Constitution of India 1950, art. 174, clause 2
[14] The Constitution of India 1950, art. 325
[15] The Constitution of India 1950, art. 324
[16] The Constitution of India 1950, art. 82
[17] Anushka Sharma, ‘One Nation One Election: 269 votes in favour, 198 against – what happens next?’ (CNBC TV18, 17 December 2024) <https://share.google/cS4OLAJTsNb8nIOHt> accessed 18 December 2025
[18] Press Trust Of India, Ready To Work As Per…: Election Body Chief On ‘One Nation, One Election’, <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ready-to-work-as-per-chief-election-commissioner-rajiv-kumar-on-one-nation-one-election-4364917> accessed 18 December 2025
[19] Drishti IAS, ’23rd Law Commission and One Nation One Election’ (Drishti IAS, 1 December 2025) <https://share.google/gYp3XIMS5O5ncNEcm> accessed 18 December 2025
