Concept Page
One Nation, One Election
One Nation, One Election proposes simultaneous polls for all levels of government. It aims to reduce electoral frequency and associated costs. India's 2019 elections saw this concept discussed.
One Nation, One Election envisions a single, nation‑wide polling calendar in which the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha biennial seats, and every state legislative assembly and council are contested on the same day. By collapsing the current staggered schedule—seven phases for the 2019 Lok Sabha alone, spread over 29 days and costing roughly ₹ 30,000 crore—the proposal promises to curtail electoral expenditure, minimise the Model Code of Conduct’s disruption of governance, and reduce voter fatigue across a polity of more than 1.4 billion citizens.
Historical Background
From the first general election in 1951 until the 1967 polls, India held simultaneous elections for the centre and most states, a practice enabled by the uniform five‑year terms prescribed in Articles 83 and 172 of the Constitution. The premature dissolution of several state assemblies in the late 1960s—most notably Kerala in 1967 and West Bengal in 1972—fractured this synchrony, creating the present mosaic of 17 different electoral cycles. Subsequent constitutional amendments,