Relevance: GS Paper II (Polity & Governance) | Source: Ram Nath Kovind Committee Report

1. The Big Debate: What is the issue?

“One Nation, One Election” (ONOE) means holding the Lok Sabha (National) and State Assembly elections at the exact same time.

• Why do people support it? * It saves money.
  • It gives relief to teachers and police who are constantly put on “election duty.”
  • Government work doesn’t stop repeatedly because of the Model Code of Conduct (election rules that pause new government schemes).
• Why do people oppose it? * India is a union of states (Federalism). Critics fear that during a joint election, loud national issues will completely silence local state problems.
  • Managing such a massive joint election is dangerous. For example, in Indonesia, combining huge elections recently led to severe exhaustion and sickness among thousands of poll workers due to extreme workload.

2. How will they do it? (The Law)

To make this happen, the Constitution needs to be changed. The committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind suggested:

• A Common Calendar: Adding a new rule (Article 82A) to align all state election dates with the Lok Sabha.
• Cutting Terms Short: To match this calendar, some current state governments will have to end their 5-year rule early.

3. The Biggest Problem: “The Leftover Term”

What happens if a state government falls in just 2 years? Do we wait 3 years for the next national election?

• The New Rule: Under ONOE, a fresh election will happen, but the new state government will not get a full 5 years. They will only rule for the “Unexpired Term” (the remaining 3 years).
• Why is this bad?
  • Voter Loss: Citizens might think, “Why should I vote for a government that will last only a few months or years?”
  • No Real Work: A short-term government will hesitate to take tough, long-term decisions because their time is limited.

4. Is it really about saving money?

Currently, holding separate elections costs about 0.25% of the total Union Budget. Historically, this is a very tiny price to pay for a healthy democracy.

If we force all elections on a single day, the Election Commission will immediately need lakhs of new EVMs (voting machines) and massive central security forces all at once, which will actually increase the immediate financial burden.

Important Terms Simplified

1. Federalism: A system where power is shared. Indian states are not just servants of the Central government; they have their own independent identity.
2. Model Code of Conduct (MCC): Rules that apply before an election. During this time, the ruling party cannot announce new schemes or freebies to attract voters.
3. Unexpired Term: The “leftover” time a new government gets if it is formed in the middle of a standard 5-year cycle.

UPSC Value Box: Points for Mains

Summary

The “One Nation, One Election” proposal wants to save time and money by syncing national and state elections. While it stops repeated election duties and policy pauses, it brings major dangers: it threatens state rights (Federalism) and forces “leftover term” governments that may not work effectively.

One Line Wrap: Elections are not an “expense” to be cut; they are the price we pay to keep our politicians answerable to the public.

UPSC Mains Question

“While ‘One Nation, One Election’ brings administrative ease, it challenges the federal structure and democratic accountability of India.” Discuss. (10 Marks, 150 Words)

Model Hints

• Intro: Define ONOE and mention the Ram Nath Kovind Committee’s proposal to sync electoral cycles.
• Body: * Benefits: Mention cost savings and avoiding the repeated pause of governance due to the Model Code of Conduct.
  • Challenges: Explain how national issues overshadow state issues (harming Federalism). Explain the “Unexpired Term” problem where mid-term governments get less than 5 years, causing voter apathy.
• Conclusion: Quote Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on choosing “accountability over stability” and conclude that electoral reforms should not disturb the Basic Structure of the Constitution.