Cabinet gives nod to One Nation One Election

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for holding simultaneous elections across the country, aligning polls for both the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw announced at a briefing in Delhi on Wednesday. He mentioned that this decision implements recommendations from the High-Level Committee on simultaneous elections, commonly known as 'One Nation, One Election,’ a decision that has been pending in the Centre’s bucket list for a long time now.

“There will indeed be positive economic implications following the implementation of the one nation one election,” the union minister said at the briefing.

Vaishnaw stated that the report was approved unanimously, noting that this step will eliminate obstacles to the country’s growth, ensuring sustained and unhindered development, particularly benefiting the aspirations of the youth.

The HLC report recommends starting with concurrent polls for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies in the first phase, followed by synchronised local body elections within 100 days of the Lok Sabha elections in the second phase.

The proposal seeks to streamline India’s electoral process by reducing the frequency of elections, which are currently staggered. It is also viewed as a cost-saving measure, potentially lowering the financial and administrative burden while reallocating resources more efficiently for uninterrupted development.

The decision follows months of deliberation after a high-level committee, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, submitted its 18,626-page report in March. Formed in September 2023, the committee expedited the process of implementing simultaneous elections. The report is the result of 191 days of research and consultations with various stakeholders and experts including public respondents, where 80% of the respondents supported the proposition.

In response to questions on implementation, opposition, state support, and economic implications, Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the recommendations have been accepted and that industry discussions and consultations will now take place to outline the next steps. He added that an implementation group will be formed to advance the suggestions made by the HLC, with the immediate focus on formulating key principles.

“Now, the committee recommendations will be discussed in detail across different forums throughout the country, including industry bodies and individuals and an implementation group will be formulated to decide the process forward,” said Ashwini Vaishnaw at the Cabinet Briefing held today at National Media Centre.

He added that future briefings will shed more light on the implementation timeline of the recommendations.

“There will be internal pressure within opposition parties that will make them accept the decision,” said Vasihnaw responding to a question on whether the refusal of the opposition parties will impact the possibility of the amendment bills expected to be introduced in the upcoming parliamentary sessions.

The committee has proposed 18 constitutional amendments, most of which would not require ratification by state Assemblies, though some changes, such as the introduction of a single voter ID card and electoral roll, will need approval from at least half of the states.

The key recommendations include the creation of a common electoral roll for all elections including national, state, and local body elections to minimise duplication and errors in voter registration.

The committee also recommended conducting nationwide discussions with stakeholders to refine the plan based on public and expert feedback emphasising transparency and inclusivity.

The Law Commission of India is expected to release its report soon, proposing simultaneous elections by 2029. It is also considering provisions for unity governments in cases of hung houses or no-confidence motions.

The government has not yet revealed the expected implications on the financial exchequer. However, the Election Commission, in an internal communication to the committee in January, had estimated that ₹10,000 crore would be required every 15 years to procure new Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) if simultaneous polls for Lok Sabha and state assemblies are implemented.