RESEARCH REPORT
Looming Threat to Federalism and Democratic Tenets in "One Nation, One Election"
INDEX
Introduction;
Historical context
Impact of ONOE
Committees’ recommendation
Leading Issues
Statements about ONOE
Reforms
Conclusion
"One Nation, One Election"
ONOE was the norm in India until 1967, simultaneous election was conducted for the Lok
Sabha and sate assemblies in 1952, 1957, 1962, and 1967. However, due to the premature
dissolution of some Legislative Assemblies in 1968 and 1969 the simultaneous election cycle
got disrupted, further in 1970, the Lok Sabha was dissolved prematurely and fresh elections
were held in 1971. All these events led to the breakdown of the cycle of simultaneous
elections in India.
The ongoing discussion about the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) proposal, spearheaded
by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), brings to the
forefront critical concerns about the centralization of power and the erosion of federalism and
democratic principles in India. While the proposal has been argued to offer administrative and
fiscal efficiencies, it is important to closely examine its potential consequences on the federal
structure of the Indian polity, the autonomy of State governments, and the stability of
democracy.
India's federal structure, enshrined in the Constitution, has been historically subjected to
central overreach, particularly through the misuse of Article 3561 (President’s Rule). The first
imposition of President's Rule in Kerala in 1959, followed by its frequent invocation (more
than 130 times since Independence), has consistently undermined the autonomy of State
governments, leading to political instability and distorted Union-State relations. Despite
constitutional safeguards like the S.R. Bommai case judgment (1994)2, which aimed to limit
arbitrary use of Article 356, incidents of misuse continue, thereby weakening India's federal
framework.
The ONOE proposal seeks to synchronize Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections into a
single electoral cycle. Although proponents argue that this would bring administrative and
fiscal benefits—such as reduced election costs, fewer disruptions to governance, and more
focused political campaigns—its critics caution that it could undermine State autonomy and
erode the core democratic values of representation and accountability.
Aligning State elections with the national electoral cycle would require amending key
constitutional provisions, such as Articles 833 (Lok Sabha term) and 172 (State Assembly
term). This would likely result in shortened or extended terms for State governments to align
with the national cycle. Such a shift could compromise the principle of one person, one vote,
one value, as voters would not be able to assess the performance of their local governments
independently of the national political narrative.
Committees recommended for simultaneous elections:
1.170th report of Law Commission of India, 1999.4
1
INDIA CONST. art. 356.
2
S.R. Bommai vs Union Of India on 11 March,1994 SCC (3) 1
3
INDIA CONST. art.83
4
Reform of the Electoral Laws (Report No. 170) [1999] INLC 5
2.National commission to review the working of the commission, 2002.5
3.Parliamentary standing committee report, 2015.
4.Working paper of NITIAAYOG in 2017.6
Issues with One Nation One Election:
1.Marginalization of regional parties; National parties can mute the voice of smaller parties at
the state level.
2.Reduction of accountability of political leadership; Frequent elections keep lawmakers on
their toes.
3.Concerns regarding federalism; Due to frequent imposition of article 356.
4.Concerns regarding principle of free and fair elections; Synchronised elections would result
in voters conflating national and state issues.
What has been said about the idea:
7
In 1999, the law commission in its 170th report on reform of electoral laws said;
1.Holding simultaneous polls would be ideal but a workable formula is required to be in the
constitution.
2.The holding of a separation election to assemblies should be an exception and not the rule.
3.Another law penal report in 2018 said simultaneous election polls don’t alter balance of
power between union and the states.
The Need for Reforms Before ONOE Implementation
While the idea of ONOE may have certain administrative advantages, it cannot be
implemented without addressing some fundamental issues that continue to plague Indian
federalism and democracy. Several areas need immediate attention to ensure that ONOE does
not become a tool for centralization or undermine the democratic values of the Indian
Constitution:
1. Misuse of Article 356: Constitutional safeguards must be strengthened to prevent the
misuse of Article 356 (President’s Rule), which has historically been used to undermine the
autonomy of State governments.
5
R. L. Meena, National Commission to review the working of the Constitution (NCRWC) Report
, Department of Legal Affairs 2. 4.2002, https://legalaffairs.gov.in/national-commission-review-working-
constitution-ncrwc-report.
6
"Title of Working Paper", NITI Aayog Working Paper, 2017, https://www.niti.gov.in/documents/working-
papers
7
Reform of the Electoral Laws (Report No. 170) [1999] INLC 5
2. Anti-Defection Laws: Strengthening the Anti-Defection Law and addressing the loopholes
in the Tenth Schedule, such as ensuring timely decisions on disqualification petitions and
addressing “group defections,” is essential to ensure the stability of State governments.
3. Electoral Independence: States must retain the freedom to conduct elections at their own
pace, without interference or coercion from the Union government. The federal structure
must be respected by allowing States to make independent decisions about their governance
and electoral cycles.
Conclusion
The One Nation, One Election proposal raises serious concerns about the future of Indian
federalism, the autonomy of States, and the stability of democratic governance. While
efficiency and cost-cutting are important, they should not come at the cost of undermining the
diverse and pluralistic fabric of India’s democracy. For the proposal to succeed without
damaging the Constitution’s basic structure, it is essential that it be accompanied by reforms
that address systemic issues like Article 356 abuse, anti-defection laws, and the stability of
State governments.
The Indian Constitution’s federal framework was designed to balance Union and State
powers and to accommodate the diverse needs and aspirations of the country. Any move to
undermine this balance, particularly in the name of administrative convenience, risks eroding
the democratic tenets of the Constitution. Hence, the ONOE should not be implemented in
isolation but should be accompanied by thorough reforms that strengthen the foundations of
federalism and democratic governance in Indi
By forcing States to follow a synchronized election cycle, the ONOE risks becoming a tool
for the centralization of power, diminishing the federal spirit of the Constitution. The
autonomy of State governments could be compromised as political attention shifts primarily
to national issues, overshadowing localized concerns. This centralization could lead to the
marginalization of regional voices and diverse political ideologies, thus threatening the
pluralistic nature of Indian democracy.
