New Delhi. The BJP-led NDA government will implement One Nation-One Election in its current term. In fact, 100 days of the third term of the Modi government have been completed. This was also promised in the BJP’s manifesto in the Lok Sabha elections.
In such a situation, what preparations are going on regarding one nation-one election? According to information received from sources, it will be implemented in this term itself. In his Independence Day speech last month, the Prime Minister had advocated one nation-one election. He had said that frequent elections are creating obstacles in the progress of the country.
The committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, formed to consider One Nation – One Election, submitted its report to President Draupadi Murmu on March 14. It is 18,626 pages long. The panel was constituted on 2 September 2023. This report is the result of 191 days of research after discussions with stakeholders-experts.
Panel’s suggestions…
The tenure of all state assemblies should be extended till the next Lok Sabha elections i.e. 2029.
In case of a hung assembly (no one has a majority) or a no-confidence motion, fresh elections can be held for the remaining term of 5 years.
In the first phase, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections can be held simultaneously, after which in the second phase, local body elections can be held within 100 days.
The Election Commission will prepare single voter list and voter ID card in consultation with state election officers for Lok Sabha, Assembly, local body elections.
The Kovind panel has recommended advance planning of equipment, manpower and security forces to hold simultaneous elections.
Right now, this is the possibility of one nation-one election. To implement one nation-one election, the term of many state assemblies will be reduced. The term of the states where assembly elections were held at the end of 2023 can be extended. The report also says that if all the parties agree on the Law Commission’s proposal, then it will be implemented from 2029. Also, for this, assembly elections will have to be held in 25 states by December 2026.
First phase: 6 states, Voting: in November 2025
Bihar: The current term will be completed. The next term will be only three and a half years.
Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry will have their current term reduced by 3 years and 7 months. The subsequent term will also be 3 and a half years.
Second phase: 11 states, voting: in December 2026
Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab and Uttarakhand: The current tenure will be reduced by 3 to 5 months. After that, it will be two and a quarter years.
Gujarat, Karnataka, Himachal, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura: The current tenure will be reduced from 13 to 17 months. The subsequent tenure will be two and a quarter years.
After these two phases, the term of all the assemblies of the country will end in June 2029. According to sources, the Kovind Committee will seek another proposal from the Law Commission, which will also talk about including the elections of local bodies.