New Delhi: India is planning to inch towards a system that holds a single, unified, large-scale election in which citizens vote for both the Central government and their respective state (federal) governments.
However, the ‘One Nation, One Election’ concept is not new for India. When the country got its Independence in 1947, the founding fathers had planned for this very system – simultaneous parliamentary and state assembly polls. Since the very first election in 1952, this has been the way of voting in India. But it changed in 1967. It was this year that India voted for the last time under the ‘One Nation, One Election’ method. Coalition politics gained ground and finally ended the simultaneous election system in the country.
After nearly 60 years, India is set to reintroduce the ‘One Nation, One Election’ system. The Union Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister, has given its nod to the proposal and the relevant bills for its implementation. These bills are likely to be introduced in Parliament during the ongoing Winter Session to get Constitutional stamp for the system.
Panel analyses India’s past experience, countries where such polls are held
Earlier, a high-level panel was set up under former President Ram Nath Kovind. It not only studied India’s past experience with the system, and its lacunae at the time, but also extensively explored how such elections are conducted worldwide.
In its research, the panel zeroed in on seven countries – South Africa, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Indonesia, The Philippines, and Japan. All these countries successfully conduct simultaneous elections. After the study, the panel handed over its findings and recommended a proposed working model to President of India, Droupadi Murmu.
In its report, the panel highlighted that a comprehensive comparative analysis of countries with similar electoral systems was carried out to understand how they conduct simultaneous elections.
The report said: “In South Africa, voters cast their ballots for both the National Assembly and Provincial Legislatures simultaneously. However, municipal elections are held separately from provincial ones in a five-year cycle.”
Talking about Sweden, the panel said, there the number of seats a political party is allotted in the elected assembly is based on its share of votes in the election. “They have a system where elections for the Parliament (Riksdag), County Councils, and Municipal Councils all take place at the same time. These elections occur every four years on the second Sunday of September whereas elections to the municipal assemblies occur on the second Sunday of September, once every five years,” the panel pointed out.
While studying the German model of election, the panel’s report said that in that European country, there is a constructive vote of no-confidence apart from the procedure for the appointment of a Chancellor made by the Bundestag (Germany’s Lower House of Parliament). It is a variation of the no-trust motion that lets a parliament withdraw confidence from a head of government only if there is a majority in favour of a potential successor.
The report said in Japan, the Prime Minister is initially appointed by the National Diet and thereafter, he or she is accepted by the Emperor. As per the report, an important member in the panel had recommended that India should “adopt a model similar to that in Germany and Japan”.
In 2019, Indonesia switched to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ system. The President, Vice-President, and members of both national and regional legislative bodies are chosen on the same day. The panel’s report said: “Political parties need 4 per cent of votes to qualify for the National Parliament. A Presidential candidate needs more than 50 per cent of votes cast overall and at least 20 per cent of votes in more than half the country’s provinces to win.”
The report pointed out: “On February 14, 2024, Indonesia successfully conducted simultaneous elections. It was termed as the world’s largest single day elections since nearly 200 million people voted across all five levels – President, Vice-President, Members of Parliament, Members of Regional Assemblies and Municipal elections.”
