Polity & Governance GS 2 In the news 3 times

One Nation One Election

Constitutional Framework

The 'One Nation One Election' (ONOE) proposal seeks to synchronise the election cycles of the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies so that they are held simultaneously. As elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas are currently governed by separate constitutional articles, implementing ONOE requires amendments to multiple provisions of the Constitution.

Key details

Article 83 governs the duration of Houses of Parliament. Lok Sabha's term is 5 years from its first sitting unless dissolved earlier under Article 85(2).
Article 85(2) empowers the President to dissolve the Lok Sabha on the advice of the Council of Ministers — a power that undermines synchronisation if used mid-term.
Article 172 governs the duration of State Legislative Assemblies, fixing each house's term at 5 years from its first sitting unless dissolved earlier.
Article 174(2)(b) empowers the Governor to dissolve the Legislative Assembly — similarly a pressure point for simultaneous elections.
The Bill proposes the insertion of Article 82A, mandating that the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies hold elections simultaneously, with any mid-term election confined to the remainder of the original term.
The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (companion legislation) extends the same framework to Union Territories with legislatures.