One Nation, One Election or Simultaneous Elections is a proposal by the Narendra Modi government to simultaneously conduct the union general elections and the assembly elections; that is, the elections to elect the MPs to the Lok Sabha and MLAs to be elected to the Vidhan Sabhas of all 28 states will be conducted at the same time. In March 2024, a committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted a report on ‘One Nation, One Election’. It has recommended a two-step electoral process: First, elections to the Lok Sabha and assemblies, followed by municipal and panchayat polls within 100 days.
While the idea has been discussed for long, it also raises concerns over the federal structure of the country and how central issues may gain precedence over local and regional issues if the elections are conducted at the same time. The Opposition parties, reacting to the Kovind panel’s submission, has decried the move, saying it will result in “dictatorship” and spell a “death knell for federalism”.
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