This proposal has previously been reviewed by the Law Commission, NITI Aayog, and a Parliamentary Standing Committee. The Modi government has formed the fourth committee, led by former President of India Ram Nath Kovind.
On Friday, September 1, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi announced the formation of a commission to investigate the feasibility of a “One Nation, One Election” system in which simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies would be conducted.
The concept of simultaneous elections is not new, and it has been proposed in the past by both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The current committee, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, would be the fourth to investigate the potential of concurrent elections.
The Law Commission, NITI Aayog, and a Parliamentary Standing Committee have already explored the possibility.
“At the moment, only a committee has been formed to discuss the topic of ‘One Nation, One Election,'” Joshi told reporters on Friday.
“Once the committee produces a report, it will be made public and a discussion will take place.” When the report is presented to parliament, it will be debated there as well. There is nothing to be concerned about since conversations will take place. We are the world’s largest democracy and the “Mother of Democracy.” “This is democracy’s evolution in the mother of democracy,” he remarked.
“New issues of national interest must be discussed in a democracy.” This does not imply that such a system will be implemented tomorrow. That is not anything we have said.”
While the Press Trust of India claimed that the Modi government has constituted a committee to investigate the potential of “One Nation, One Election,” no announcement on its formation has yet been made.
The ‘One Nation, One Election’ notion is not new.
The concept of holding elections at the same time is not new.
According to a report released by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Wing of the Research & Information Division, Lok Sabha Secretariat, the first few general elections after independence were held concurrently with state legislative assembly elections.
While the practice persisted until 1967, the system of simultaneous elections was broken owing to the early dissolution of several state assemblies in 1968 and 1969.
“Thus, since the 1967 elections, the practice of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabhas wasn’t able to be maintained, and the elections have still not been realigned,” the document adds.
The Modi government’s three panels will investigate simultaneous elections.
Simultaneous elections have been on the agenda since the Modi government took office in 2014.
The Modi government has already formed three independent committees to investigate the potential of establishing a system of “One Nation, One Poll.”
The Law Commission
The Law Commission of India presented a draught report on simultaneous elections in August 2018.
According to PRS Legislative Research, the Law Commission draught report said that simultaneous elections cannot be undertaken within the current constitutional framework.
It said that suitable revisions to the constitution, the Representation of the Individuals Act of 1951, and the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies are required in order to have such simultaneous elections.
It further stated that the constitutional amendments must be ratified by at least 50% of the states.
However, the Law Commission proposed simultaneous elections in 1999.
In its 170th Report on Reform of Electoral Laws (1999), the Commission, then led by retired Justice B.P Jeevan Reddy, warned that such elections could not be held overnight.Â
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It suggested moving some state elections ahead of others, a possible constitutional amendment to extend or shorten the term of one or more legislative assemblies, and a simultaneous motion of no-confidence in the incumbent government as well as confidence in an alternative government, among other things.
