What is One Nation, One Election (ONOE) ?
Lets delve into understanding One Nation, One Election in India.
The origin of the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) idea can be traced back to discussions held by various political leaders and committees over the years. The proposal is aimed at synchronising the State Legislative Assembly elections and the Lok Sabha elections and conducting them together. India started out with simultaneous elections during Independence era in 1952 and 1957. But due to some political changes in 1950-60’s, state governments were either dismissed by the Central government or the government got dissolved on its own before their tenure thereby disturbing the elections cycle in India. However, state elections of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim are conducted along with Lok Sabha elections.
This concept of ONOE gained traction particularly after the Law Commission of India, in its 170th report published in 2019, advocated for simultaneous elections as a means to strengthen democracy. Additionally, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee first introduced this notion in 2004, reflecting a prolonged interest in the feasibility of concurrent polling.
Global Perspective – One Nation One Election
This approach aligns India with global practices observed in several countries where synchronized elections are commonplace. Nations like Belgium, Sweden, South Africa, and Indonesia conduct their federal and state elections together. Area-wise, Belgium, Nepal and Sweden are smaller countries, and holding simultaneous polls there isn’t that big a logistical challenge.
In Sweden, the concurrent elections are held every four years in September on the same day. Sweden has a proportional electoral system, which means that political parties are assigned a number of seats in the elected assembly based on their share of the vote. In Belgium, Federal Parliament elections are held every five years, in sync with European elections, which impact regional elections.
In Nigeria, while the ONOE approach has enhanced voter turnout and reduced electoral fatigue, it has also led to complexities in managing multiple races.
The Election Commission of Nepal held its first election after adopting new Constitution and raised concerns about the difficulty of organizing such concurrent elections across the country. The government then went for a two-phase election with a gap period.
South Africa has different electoral processes from India. In South Africa, before the elections, political parties draw up a list of candidates for each of the legislatures they wish to contest. And post elections, the Independent Electoral Commission determines how many people from each party list should take up seats in the legislature.
One Nation One Election : The Advocates
Advocates of the One Nation, One Election emphasize that this synchronization could bolster governance, bring down the logistics cost incurred during multiple elections held across the year. ONOE also aims to regulate party candidates before elections through efficient model code of conduct, increase security of India, and lead to higher voter turnout.
ONOE could reduce election-related expenditures, allowing more resources to be allocated towards developmental initiatives and public welfare. The Lok Sabha election cost in 2019 was estimated at Rs. 3,850 Cr relatively higher than 2009 election cost which stood at Rs.1,115 Cr. In 1952, elections cost to Exchequer stood at Rs. 0.60 paisa per voter which exponentially rose to Rs.46 per voter in 2014.
During simultaneous elections, voters may feel more motivated to engage in the electoral process as the frequency of elections diminishes, thereby fostering a more participatory democratic environment. All the development programmed in national/state level projects will not have to be suspended as the ONOE shall be limited to a single season. The police officials deployed during elections can instead focus on their jobs and enhance the safety of the citizens.
One Nation One Election : The Critics
The critics of One Nation, One Election believe that this proposal could be an abuse of power and not any revolutionary policy. They fear the dominance of the national party over the regional parties in State assembly and Lok Sabha elections. This can lead to a potential diminishment of regional voices in the legislative assembly. Local representatives may find it challenging to advocate for community needs effectively, as the focus may predominantly rest on national priorities. The complexities could arise if any state government collapses or gets dissolved before their scheduled five-year term as the states get restructured and assemblies get prematurely disbanded.
Balancing the concerns of national and local governance in such a large democracy will be complex. State polls will have to limit or extend their tenure in the first round of concurrent elections, which may not appeal to the states. National government may become more complacent as there may be a higher probability of national party to win in state assemblies as well. Simultaneous elections would need manpower to be deployed around the same time at a stretch. It would also require greater numbers of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines.
Thus, while the advantages of One Nation, One Election are considerable, the potential challenges warrant careful examination by policymakers and stakeholders in Indian politics.
Groundwork : One Nation One Election
There will be a necessity to make constitutional amendments, which will change the existing timeline and procedures that govern elections in India. The amendments will have to address the terms of elected representatives, as well as the dissolution of legislative assemblies. There must be a clarity on duration of tenures and midterm election processes, if required. The Election Commission (EC) of India has to take charge or delegate the responsibility of managing the logistics of such large scale synchronized elections. Voter education to operate voting machines and ensuring that the elections are free and fair across all the regions is a must.
Conclusion
The proposal for One Nation, One Election in India has significant implications for the political landscape of the country. Moreover, the dynamics between political parties are expected to change significantly under the ONOE model. By studying the successes and shortcomings of these countries, India can more effectively navigate its electoral landscape, aiming for a synchronized electoral process that accommodates its unique challenges while promoting efficiency and participation.
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