Will Assembly Terms of Present State Governments Be Cut Short for Simultaneous Polls? Explained

New Delhi: With the Union Cabinet’s nod to the much-anticipated ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE) bill, the idea of holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies has gained momentum as the central government led by PM Narendra Modi is all set to pass the bill. Following the Cabinet’s approval, the government is likely to bring a comprehensive bill on the one nation, one poll, in the ongoing Winter Session of the Parliament. The government has expressed confidence in passing the bill in the Parliament, eventually making it a law.

The BJP-led government at the Centre has reiterated that the primary goal of simultaneous polls is to streamline the electoral process, reduce the financial burden, and enhance governance stability. However, the concept of cutting short the terms of current state assemblies to accommodate simultaneous elections has been raising questions about the implications for state governments, constitutional norms and the electoral processes.

On other hand, it is being contended that with elections held separately for the central and state governments, the country faces multiple rounds of elections each year, consuming significant resources, money and time.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reportedly issued a three-line whip to all its MPs, asking them to be present in the House on December 13 and 14 for discussions on some important legislative issues. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Wednesday, made a strong pitch for ‘one nation, one election’, and contended that frequent polls were creating hurdles in the nation’s progress.

Political experts believe that the idea of cutting short the terms of state assemblies to facilitate simultaneous elections presents both opportunities and challenges. While it could lead to cost savings, logistical efficiency, and greater political stability at the national level, the proposal also raises serious constitutional, legal, and political concerns. It would require extensive deliberation and, likely, amendments to the Constitution, making it a complex issue to navigate.

What is ‘One Nation, One Election’

The ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill, is a significant step towards synchronising elections in the country. The idea focuses on holding simultaneous elections for both the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies across the nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a strong proponent of this concept for a long time. At present, elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies are held separately, either after the completion of a five-year term or when a government is dissolved for various reasons.

The decision is based on recommendations made by a high-level committee led by former president Ram Nath Kovind. The committee was incepted on September 2 last year. The committee, which played a crucial role in crafting the report, also included eminent members such as Union Home Minister Amit Shah , Ghulam Nabi Azad, Harish Salve, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and others.

Notably, in September 2024, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for ‘One Nation, One Election’, paving the way for tabling the bill in the Parliament. The Cabinet accepted the report submitted by the panel headed by Ram Nath Kovind.

In March 2024, the committee under the former President submitted a comprehensive 18,626-page report to President Droupadi Murmu, culminating 191 days of continuous consultations, expert opinions, and research since the formation of the panel.

Pertinently, simultaneous elections were the norm in India until 1967. The ONOE proposal aims to bring back this practice, reducing election-related costs, improving administrative efficiency, and minimising the frequency of election-related disruptions.

Report Consists Inputs From 47 Political Parties

The report reflected inputs from 47 political parties, 32 of which supported simultaneous elections, along with 21,558 responses from citizens, with 80% backing the proposal. Expert opinions from four former chief justices of India, 12 former chief justices of major high courts, four former chief election commissioners and the Election Commission were sought.

As per the report, among the national parties, the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) opposed the proposal, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National People's Party (NPP) supported it.

Among state parties, the AIUDF, Trinamool Congress, AIMIM, CPI, DMK, Naga People's Front, and SP opposed the proposal, while the AIADMK, All Jharkhand Students' Union, Apna Dal (Soney Lal), ASOM Gana Parishad, Biju Janata Dal, Mizo National Front, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, Shiv Sena, Janata Dal (United), Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, Shiromani Akali Dal, and United People's Party Liberal supported it.

Other parties, including Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Indian Union Muslim League, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Janata Dal (Secular), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Kerala Congress (M), Nationalist Congress Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Sikkim Democratic Front, Telugu Desam Party, and YSR Congress Party, did not respond.

Benefits Of 'One Nation, One Election'

The simultaneous elections are expected to remove a massive electoral financial burden. The current system of separate elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies imposes a heavy financial burden on the government and political parties, as multiple election campaigns require extensive funding for advertisements, rallies, and logistics, often leading to the diversion of resources.

Holding separate elections multiple times a year leads to repeated logistical challenges. With ONOE, these resources can be utilized more efficiently, as the election machinery will be deployed just once.

As elections approach, government officials and politicians are often diverted to election duties, leaving ongoing projects and policies in limbo. By reducing the frequency of elections, ONOE ensures greater stability in governance.

Importantly, the Election Commission incurs significant costs in conducting elections, which can be reduced significantly by holding elections simultaneously across the country will reduce these recurring expenses.

Centre’s Push For ‘One, Nation, One Election’

Simultaneous elections, or ‘one nation, one election’, have been a subject of discussion for several decades, with the issue gaining thrust in the last few years, particularly after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The theory behind this proposal is that simultaneous elections would reduce the financial and logistical burden of holding elections multiple times within a few years. Further, it is believed that the simultaneous elections will lead to shaping of a more efficient electoral cycle.

At present, the Indian citizens experience multiple elections in the span of a few years, with separate elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies. The multiple elections are also believed to be causing a disruption in governance as on multiple occasions, the leaders and the members of the Cabinet of the governments often found focusing on election campaigns rather than legislative work.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have been vocal supporters of simultaneous polls, arguing that they would improve governance and lead to reduced costs for the Election Commission, the state, and the central governments.

How Simultaneous Elections Would Work

The idea of holding simultaneous elections is to align both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The elections for both the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies are held every five years. However, the elections for the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies vary depending on when the respective government completes its term. Some states go to the polls as frequently as every three years, with their terms ending before the five-year period concludes, which raises the question of whether the terms of these assemblies will be cut short to align with the national elections.

The Election Commission has proposed that the terms of state assemblies that are due for elections in the near future could be curtailed to synchronize with the Lok Sabha elections cycle. For instance, if a state assembly's term is supposed to end in 2025, it may be brought forward to 2024 for the sake of simultaneous elections.

Constitutional and Legal Implications

The proposal to shorten the terms of state assemblies raises important constitutional questions. According to the Constitution of India, the term of a state legislative assembly is five years from the date of its first meeting unless dissolved earlier. For instance, in cases where a state government dissolves its assembly ahead of schedule, the constitution allows for fresh elections. However, any deviation from this norm, such as reducing a government’s term without the assembly’s dissolution, would require a constitutional amendment.

In this context, the main challenge to simultaneous elections lies in the issue of constitutional amendments. The government would need to amend the Constitution to allow the cutting short of terms, and this would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

Financial and Logistical Impact

Experts suggested that one of the main reasons people support holding elections at the same time is to reduce the cost of conducting them. Elections in India are a huge task, involving millions of voters and many polling stations. In fact, the Election Commission of India estimated that the cost of the 2019 general elections was around Rs 60,000 crores. On top of that, holding elections for state assemblies, local bodies, and other elections increases the total expenses.

Now, by holding simultaneous elections, the government could save resources that would otherwise go into separate campaigns, voter awareness programs, and the cost of manpower. The Election Commission has indicated that simultaneous polls could save up to 30-40% of the costs involved in conducting individual elections. This cost-saving potential is especially crucial given the financial pressures many states face in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other economic challenges.

However, critics argue that in many states, especially those governed by opposition parties, are wary of the proposal, as they fear the central government’s influence over the timing of the polls might disrupt local political impact. This could lead to weakening of regional parties and increase the dominance of national parties like the BJP.

Political Implications

Experts also believe that politically, the decision to cut short the terms of state assemblies could have profound implications for governance. If state assemblies are forced to hold elections early, then the incumbent governments would face the challenge of maintaining political stability. Some state governments may view this as an imposition that undermines their authority, especially if they are forced to dissolve their assemblies before completing their full term.

Additionally, the idea of simultaneous elections could potentially reduce voter engagement with state-specific issues. As national issues tend to dominate the process during general elections and the state-level concerns might take a backseat. This may further prove to be disadvantageous to regional parties and their ability to campaign on local issues.

Are States Ready?

At present, only a few states are likely to be directly impacted by the proposal for simultaneous elections. These include states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, where elections are scheduled before or around the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In such cases, the terms of these assemblies might be shortened to align with the general elections.

On the other hand, some states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, where assembly elections are due later in their respective terms, may not be as directly impacted by the move for simultaneous polls.