Polity24 Jun 2026
One Nation, One Election: simultaneous polls and the constitutional questions
"One Nation, One Election" (ONOE) is the proposal to hold elections to the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies at the same time, instead of the current staggered cycle of polls spread across the year. A high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind recommended a phased move towards simultaneous elections, and the government introduced Constitution Amendment Bills to enable it. Supporters point to lower costs and less governance disruption from the repeated Model Code of Conduct; critics warn it could weaken federalism, disadvantage regional parties, and raise hard questions about what happens if a government falls mid-term.
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