One Nation One Election: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the One Nation, One Election proposal. If this bill is passed by Parliament, Lok Sabha and state assembly elections could be held simultaneously starting in 2034.
The government is expected to introduce this bill during the current winter session of Parliament. According to official sources, if the bill is passed by both houses of Parliament without amendments, the first synchronized elections in India could take place in 2034.
Recommendations by the Kovind Committee
The high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted its report earlier this year in March. The committee made several recommendations for implementing One Nation, One Election, including a constitutional amendment to add Article 82A(1).
Under this provision, the President would notify a “fixed date” during the first meeting of the newly elected Lok Sabha. After this “fixed date,” the tenure of newly constituted state assemblies would be adjusted to align with the full term of the Lok Sabha.
This means that if the bill is passed without amendments, the “fixed date” can only be notified during the first session of the Lok Sabha elected in 2029. This is because the first meeting of the 2024 Lok Sabha would already have taken place. The term of the next Lok Sabha would run from 2029 to 2034, aligning it with the timeframe for synchronized elections across the country.
Election Commission’s Preparations
Sources indicate that the Election Commission would need significant time to prepare for elections of this scale. Doubling the number of electronic voting machines (EVMs) required for simultaneous polls would take at least 2.5 to 3 years.
A senior official from the Election Commission noted that achieving political consensus and passing the bill in Parliament would only be the first step. After that, the Commission would need to place large-scale orders for new EVMs and undertake extensive logistical planning, which requires considerable lead time.
First Joint Elections Possible in 2034
Even if the government secures consensus and passes the bill by late 2025 or early 2026, conducting joint elections by 2029 would be highly challenging due to time constraints. As a result, the first synchronized elections under the One Nation, One Election framework are likely to take place in 2034.
