Answer

The One Nation One Election proposal aims to synchronise elections across India for administrative efficiency and reduced costs. Supported by the Law Commission of India, it envisions simultaneous Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections. However, the proposal raises concerns about its impact on India’s federal structure, potentially undermining state autonomy and challenging democratic principles, as outlined in the Constitution of India.

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Administrative Efficiency through One Nation One Election

• Cost Reduction: Conducting simultaneous elections reduces financial expenditure, administrative efforts, and deployment of security forces, addressing the current excessive resource utilization in staggered elections.
  For example: In 2019, the Lok Sabha election incurred over ₹60,000 crores; ONOE could consolidate such expenditures.
• Streamlined Governance: Minimizing election cycles avoids frequent enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, ensuring uninterrupted governance and expeditious policy implementation.
  For example: Policy rollouts like GST could face fewer delays during simultaneous elections compared to staggered cycles.
• Enhanced Voter Turnout: Aligning elections may boost voter participation by consolidating all voting events, reducing voter fatigue from multiple, sporadic electoral engagements.
  For example: In 2014, states like Gujarat saw a higher turnout in simultaneous local and national elections compared to standalone elections.
• Administrative Uniformity: Simplified logistics ensure efficient mobilisation of election machinery, security forces, and staff, promoting consistency across states.
  For example: Resources like EVMs can be uniformly distributed, reducing shortages often faced during separate elections.
• National Focus: Simultaneous elections shift political discourse towards long-term policy goals and national issues, reducing distractions caused by state-specific campaign dynamics.
  For example: The 1951-52 simultaneous elections provided a unified narrative, focusing on post-independence national rebuilding.

Challenges to Federal Structure

• Curtailment of State Autonomy: Synchronizing elections disrupts state-specific governance cycles, compelling states to adhere to arbitrary extensions or curtailments of tenures.
  For example: Aligning Odisha’s Assembly cycle with the Lok Sabha may dilute its regional priorities.
• Erosion of Federalism: Centralization of electoral cycles may reduce the autonomy of states, shifting governance focus disproportionately to the Union.
• Voter Confusion: Simultaneous elections may blur state and national issues, diminishing voters’ ability to evaluate state-specific governance performances effectively.
  For example: In Tamil Nadu, state governance may lose focus amid the Union’s dominant narrative in ONOE.
• Increased Electoral Risks: A midterm fall of governments in states or the Union would necessitate abbreviated tenures, undermining the principle of “one person, one vote, one value.”
  For example: A midterm dissolution in 1996 could have necessitated truncated tenures for the 1998-99 Lok Sabha under ONOE.
• Operational Challenges: India’s vast electorate complicates logistical and resource management, risking voter fatigue and systemic delays under synchronised cycles.
  For example: Coordinating elections for  millions of voters poses challenges, especially in densely populated states like Uttar Pradesh.

Implications of the One Nation One Election Proposal:

Democratic Principles

Positive Implications

• Enhanced Electoral Participation: Simultaneous elections might increase voter turnout as citizens can engage in a single consolidated electoral process, reducing election fatigue.
  For instance: Countries like South Africa have combined national and provincial elections, recording higher voter participation.
• Reducing Disruptions in Governance: Frequent elections disrupt governance due to repeated impositions of the Model Code of Conduct. ONOE could ensure continuity in policy-making and implementation.

Negative Implications

• Midterm Governance Disruptions: Governments falling midterm would lead to shorter tenures for new governments, undermining voters’ mandates.
  For instance: In 1999, midterm elections in the Lok Sabha created instability; ONOE risks amplifying this issue.
• Voter Fatigue: Simultaneous elections for Parliament, Assemblies, and local bodies might overwhelm voters and impact participation rates.
  For instance: Data from advanced democracies like the US show voter fatigue affects turnout in multi-tier elections.

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Constitutional Provisions

Positive Implications

• Streamlined Governance: Amending Articles 83 and Article 172 could ensure uniform governance periods, enabling structured electoral cycles.
• Strengthened Electoral Planning: Enables long-term planning for electoral reforms and technological upgrades.
  For instance: ECI could allocate more resources for robust voter identification systems like VVPAT if elections are synchronised.

Negative Implications

• Need for Complex Amendments: Amending Articles 83, 172, and others challenges the basic structure doctrine, requiring broad political consensus.
  For example: Supreme Court judgments, like Kesavananda Bharati (1973), restrict tampering with federalism, complicating ONOE implementation.
• Erosion of Bicameralism: Blurs lines between legislative responsibilities, as national priorities overshadow state-specific legislative mandates.
  For example: Legislative Assembly laws on local employment quotas may lose importance during simultaneous election campaigns.

State Autonomy

Positive Implications

• Enhanced Federal Cooperation: Encourages smoother cooperation between central and state governments due to synchronised election cycles.
  For example: Joint planning in disaster relief, like during Cyclone Amphan, would benefit from unified governance.
• Strengthened Policy Continuity: Aligned election cycles can foster uninterrupted implementation of centrally-sponsored schemes across states without policy discontinuities.
  For instance: Programs like PM-KISAN can achieve seamless rollout without disruption from frequent state election cycles.

Negative Implications

• Weakening Local Democracy: Shortened terms for states erode their authority and create dependence on national narratives.
  For instance: The S.R. Bommai case emphasised the need to safeguard state governments against arbitrary dismissals by the center.
• Operational Challenges: Synchronizing elections for over 900 million voters increases administrative and logistical burdens.
  For instance: Conducting polls for Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu simultaneously would overstretch ECI’s capacity and security arrangements.

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Suggested Reforms to Protect Federal Democracy

• Strengthen Anti-Defection Laws: Amend the Tenth Schedule to introduce time-bound decisions on disqualification petitions by the Speaker and remove provisions for group defections.
  For example: The delay in disqualification cases in Karnataka (2019) highlighted the need for stronger anti-defection measures.
• Reform Article 356 Usage: Limit the misuse of the President’s Rule by amending Article 356 to include stricter guidelines and accountability mechanisms to ensure genuine application.
  For example: The S.R. Bommai case (1994) underscored judicial safeguards for federalism but needs more clarity in implementation.
• Promote Cooperative Federalism: Institutionalize regular consultations between the Union and States through mechanisms like the Inter-State Council and NITI Aayog, ensuring equal participation in national policies.
  For example: The GST Council serves as a successful example of collaborative federal decision-making.
• Decentralize Election Schedules: Develop a staggered electoral cycle that respects State autonomy, rather than enforcing simultaneous elections, while providing adequate resources to the Election Commission.
  For example: Separate election cycles have allowed States like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal to focus on localised governance issues.

The One Nation One Election proposal could disrupt the balance between central authority and state autonomy, risking democratic values. To protect federal democracy, reforms such as decentralising election management, strengthening state powers, and allowing flexibility in election cycles are necessary. Schemes like the Electoral Reforms Commission’s recommendations and State Financial Empowerment Programs should preserve India’s federal structure while achieving efficiency.

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