Challenges to One Nation One Election in a Diverse India

Abstract

Abstract
One Nation One Election refers to conducting Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections concurrently across India. The goal is to cut expenses, eliminate governance interruptions from frequent polls, and rationalize the electoral system. The approach, which was first used from 1951 and 1967, has recently received more interest as the government investigates its practicality through expert groups and constitutional talks. Presently, the Joint Parliamentary Committee is reviewing the One Nation One Election Bill i.e. 129th Amendment to the Constitution of India. The Law Commission of India (170th Report) also suggested revisiting this system to increase its effectiveness. If adopted, the plan would need elections just once every five years, at both the national and state levels.
However, there are many concerns raised in the adoption of this concept through Constitutional amendment. For example, there are concerns that once the One Nation One Election provisions are adopted it may contravene Article 14 (equality before the law) and result in the indirect imposition of President's Rule, giving the Union government effective influence over state governments.
This paper tries to analyse the challenges to implementation of One Nation One Election in India and identifies the lacunaes in the existing bill pending before the Joint Parliamentary Committee.