One Nation One Election – ONOE

Why in news?

The Union Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of theHigh-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections (One Nation One Election – ONOE)under the chairmanship of former President Shri Ram Nath Kovind.

About ONOE

• The concept of“One Nation, One Election”envisions a system in whichall state and Lok Sabha electionsmust be held simultaneously.
• This will entail restructuring the Indian election cycle so that elections to the states and the center coincide.
• This would imply that voterswill vote for members of the LS (Lok Sabha) and state assemblies on the same dayand at the same time (or in a phased manner as the case may be).

High-level Committee (HLC) on One Nation, One Election

• The HLC, popularly known as theKovind panel after its chairman, former President Ram Nath Kovind,was constituted inSeptember 2023.
• It was constituted to study the issues involving One Nation, One Election. Itsubmitted its report in March 2024.

Simultaneous elections: recommendations of high-level committee

• Elections were held simultaneouslybetween1951 and 1967.
• Law Commission:170th report (1999): One election to Lok Sabha and all Legislative Assemblies in five years.
• Parliamentary Committee 79th Report (2015):suggest methods for simultaneous elections in two phases.
• High Level Committee chaired by Shri Ram Nath Kovind extensivelyconsulted a broad spectrum of stakeholders including political parties and experts.
• Extensive feedbackhas shown there is widespread support for simultaneous elections in the country.

Recommendations and way forward

• Implement intwo phases.
• In the first phase:conduct Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously.
• In the second phase:Conduct local body elections (panchayat and municipalities)within 100 days of general elections.
• Common electoral rollfor all elections.
• Will initiate detailed discussions throughout the country.
• Constitute an implementation group.