One Nation, One Election Bill: A Detailed Analysis

1. What is One Nation, One Election (ONOE) Bill?

 Definition: The ONOE Bill proposes conducting simultaneous elections
for the Lok Sabha (Parliament) and State Legislative Assemblies
every five years. It aims to restructure the electoral cycle to synchronize
elections across India.
 Current System: Elections occur 5-7 times annually due to varying
assembly tenures.
 Historical Context: Simultaneous elections were held during the first
four Lok Sabha elections (1952, 1957, 1962, and 1967). The cycle was
disrupted due to premature dissolutions.

2. Key Changes Proposed

 Alignment of Electoral Terms: Synchronize Lok Sabha and State
Assembly elections to happen together.
 Two-Phase Implementation:
o Phase 1: Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

o Phase 2: Local bodies (Municipalities and Panchayats) synchronized

within 100 days of national elections.
 Single Electoral Roll: A unified voter roll for all elections to reduce
redundancy.
 Legal Reforms: Amendments to Articles 82, 83, 172, and 356 to
harmonize electoral terms.

3. Vision and Fiscal Savings

 Cost Saving:
o Current Cost: ₹8,000 crore was spent on the 2019 Lok Sabha
elections alone. State Assembly elections cost an additional
₹3,500-5,500 crore annually.
o ONOE Estimated Saving: By holding simultaneous elections,
₹10,000-12,000 crore could be saved in a 5-year cycle.
 Administrative Efficiency:
o Reduction in deployment of security forces and government staff.

o A 33-40% reduction in election-related expenditure.

  Business Stability: Industry bodies like CII and FICCI estimate better
business confidence due to policy continuity and reduced economic
disruptions.

4. Impact on the Macro Economy

 Economic Disruptions:
o MCC (Model Code of Conduct) delays policy decisions and halts
infrastructure projects.
o GDP Impact: Frequent elections lead to 0.5-1% GDP loss annually
due to administrative standstills.
 Job Creation: Stable governance allows faster execution of welfare
schemes, boosting employment.
 Investor Confidence: International investors are likely to benefit from
policy consistency over a five-year period.

5. Global Examples and Success

 Countries with Simultaneous Elections:
o South Africa: National and provincial elections are held together.

o Sweden: Simultaneous parliamentary and local body elections.

o Indonesia: Held successful simultaneous elections for the first time

in 2019.
 Success Stories:
o Reduction in electoral costs and enhanced policy stability in South
Africa and Sweden.
 Challenges:
o Brazil and the Philippines face criticism for overshadowing local
issues during national elections.

6. Timeline for Implementation

 Recommendations: The High-Level Committee, chaired by Ram Nath
Kovind, submitted its report in 2024.
 Proposed Implementation:
o Phase 1: 2029 General Elections – First synchronized elections for
Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
o Phase 2: 2034 – Complete alignment, including local body elections.
7. Positives and Negatives
Positives:
 Cost Efficiency: Save ₹10,000-12,000 crore per electoral cycle.
 Reduced Voter Fatigue: Frequent elections overwhelm voters.
 Policy Stability: Governments can focus on governance without
electoral disruptions.
 Administrative Benefits: Reduces the deployment of 10+ lakh
government personnel annually.
Negatives:
 Overshadowing of Regional Issues: National campaigns may dominate
state-level concerns.
 Implementation Complexity: Amendments require constitutional
consensus.
 Disruption in Mid-Term Elections: Managing premature dissolutions
remains a challenge.

8. Supporting Numbers and Theory

 Public Sentiment:
o 80% of 21,500 respondents supported ONOE in the High-Level
Committee Report.
o Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest
support.
 Political Parties:
o 32 out of 47 parties back ONOE, highlighting economic benefits
and governance continuity.
 Historical Context:
o From 1952 to 1967, India held successful synchronized elections
with minimal disruption.

Conclusion and Way Forward

 Immediate Steps:
o Build political consensus for constitutional amendments.

o Implement Phase 1 by 2029 and Phase 2 by 2034.

 Economic Benefits:
o Fiscal savings of ₹12,000 crore per cycle.
 o Enhanced governance and investor confidence.

 While challenges remain, ONOE offers a transformative electoral

reform that aligns with India’s vision for efficient governance and
economic growth.

This version includes detailed numbers, the timeline for implementation, fiscal
savings, and precise statistics to support the theory. Let me know if you need
further refinements or visualizations (e.g., charts or tables).

-------------------------Draft 2----------------------

1. What is One Nation, One Election (ONOE) Bill?

 One Nation One Election bill presented in loksabha today, The
bills, however, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority
(ie. 307 out of 461) in the lower house, receiving 269 votes in
favour and 198 against, but what exactly is #ONOE and what are
the implication of simultaneous election for Indian economy, lets
analyse
 Definition: The ONOE Bill proposes conducting simultaneous elections
for the Lok Sabha (Parliament) and State Legislative Assemblies
every five years. It aims to restructure the electoral cycle to synchronize
elections across India.
 Current System: Elections occur 5-7 times annually due to varying
assembly tenures, causing frequent disruptions.
 Historical Context: Simultaneous elections were held successfully during
the first four Lok Sabha terms (1952, 1957, 1962, and 1967) but were
disrupted due to premature dissolutions of State Assemblies and the
Lok Sabha.

2. Key Changes Proposed

 High-Level Committee chaired by Ram Nath Kovind proposed
below
Alignment of Electoral Terms: Synchronize Lok Sabha and State
Assembly elections to occur together across India.
 Two-Phase Implementation:
o Phase 1: Conduct synchronized elections for Lok Sabha and
State Assemblies by 2029
o Phase 2: Align local body elections (Municipalities and
Panchayats) within 100 days of the national elections.
 Single Electoral Roll: Implement a unified electoral roll to ensure
consistency across elections and reduce duplication.
 Legal Reforms: Amendments proposed for Articles 82, 83, 172, and
356 to harmonize electoral terms and constitutional provisions.

 1. Economic Impact of Simultaneous Elections

 a) Impact on GDP Growth
 Simultaneous elections have a significant positive impact on
India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
 Kovind Committee Report Findings:
 On average, real GDP growth is 1.5 percentage points higher in
years following simultaneous elections compared to non-
simultaneous election cycles.
 To put this into perspective:
 1.5% of GDP for FY25 equals approximately ₹4.95 lakh crore.
 This amount is nearly half of India’s public health spending and
one-third of its education budget.
 Cost of Non-Simultaneous Elections:
 Publicly reported estimates for conducting multiple elections
range between ₹4-7 lakh crore, which is comparable to the GDP
growth foregone due to frequent elections.


 b) Impact on Inflation
 The Kovind Committee report also found a reduction in inflation
rates during simultaneous elections:
 Consumer Price Index (CPI) Inflation:
 During simultaneous elections, CPI inflation drops more
significantly compared to non-simultaneous elections.
 Difference-in-difference analysis:
 Inflation falls by approximately 1.1% during simultaneous election
periods.
 This includes a larger fall of around one percentage point when
compared to periods of non-simultaneous elections.
 This reduction in inflation enhances price stability, benefiting
consumers and businesses.


 c) Impact on Private Investments

 Frequent elections create an environment of policy uncertainty,
which negatively affects private investments:
 Investors often adopt a "wait and watch" approach during election
cycles, leading to delays in critical projects.
 With non-simultaneous elections occurring multiple times a year,
this uncertainty is exacerbated.
 Simultaneous elections, by reducing election frequency, would
foster greater economic stability and investor confidence,
ensuring steady flows of private capital.


 2. Logistical Challenges and Opportunities

 a) Financial Cost of Conducting Elections
 Lok Sabha Elections:
 The cost of conducting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was
approximately ₹50,000 crore which has expected to increased
approximately 1.34 Lakhs crore in 2024 generaal election.
 Vidhan Sabha Elections:
 Conducting multiple state elections annually adds an estimated
₹5,000-8,000 crore to the expenditure.
 ONOE Savings:
 By consolidating elections, India can save ₹20,000-30,000 crore
per five-year cycle, enabling the government to reallocate
resources to health, education, and infrastructure.


 b) Manpower and Logistics

 Personnel Deployed in 2019 Elections:
 11 million personnel were engaged, including:
 2.7 million paramilitary and police personnel.
 7 million polling staff, primarily from government departments.
 Polling Stations:
 Managed nearly 1 million polling stations for over 900 million
voters.
 Benefits with ONOE:
 Streamlined elections would reduce repetitive manpower
deployment, ensuring better utilization of resources.


 3. Social and Economic Impact on Migrant Workers

 Frequent elections impose significant costs on migrant workers
who need to return to their home states to vote:
 2011 Census Data:
 India has over 450 million intra- and inter-state migrant workers.
 Challenges of Frequent Travel:
 Migrants often travel multiple times in a five-year period,
incurring high financial burdens for travel.
 Many forgo voting altogether due to the unaffordability of travel
costs.
 Disruptions caused by migrant absences affect:
 Production activities, delaying domestic and international
contractual obligations.
 Overall economic output for businesses and industries.
 ONOE Solution:
 Simultaneous elections would allow migrants to return once every
five years, reducing financial and production-related disruptions.


 4. Governance and Development Stability

 a) Model Code of Conduct (MCC) Impact
 The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) restricts governments from
announcing new policies and projects during elections.
 With non-simultaneous elections, the MCC is in force for several
months each year, delaying development initiatives.
 ONOE Benefit:
 By minimizing the frequency of elections, the MCC would apply
only once every five years, enabling continuous policy
implementation and faster delivery of welfare programs.


 5. Overall Benefits of Simultaneous Elections

 Higher GDP Growth: A 1.5 percentage point boost in real GDP
growth (₹4.5 lakh crore in FY24 terms).
 Lower Inflation: A 1.1% drop in inflation rates during
simultaneous election cycles.
 Increased Private Investments: Reduction in policy uncertainty
fosters investor confidence.
 Cost Efficiency: Savings of ₹20,000-30,000 crore every election
cycle.
 Better Resource Utilization: Optimized deployment of personnel,
security forces, and infrastructure.
 Relief for Migrant Workers: Reduced travel burden and minimized
disruptions in production activities.
 Governance Stability: Continuous policy implementation without
MCC interruptions.


 6. Challenges and Way Forward

 While ONOE offers significant benefits, it also poses key
challenges:
 Constitutional Amendments:
 Changes to Articles 83, 85, 172, and 174 are required.
 A two-thirds majority in Parliament and state legislature
ratifications are necessary.
 Federal Concerns:
 Balancing national and regional narratives to ensure federalism
principles are upheld.
 Logistical Complexity:
 Managing elections for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies and 4,120
Vidhan Sabha constituencies simultaneously will require robust
planning and infrastructure.


 7. Conclusion
 The One Nation, One Election initiative presents an opportunity to
transform India's electoral process, ensuring economic stability,
cost savings, and better governance. With:
 ₹4.5 lakh crore GDP boost,
 ₹20,000-30,000 crore cost savings,
  Lower inflation and higher investor confidence,
 ONOE can drive significant economic and social progress.
Addressing challenges through political consensus and robust
infrastructure will be key to realizing these benefits.

5. Global Examples and Success

 Countries with Simultaneous Elections:
o South Africa: National and provincial elections are held
simultaneously.
o Sweden: Elections for Parliament and local bodies are
synchronized.
o Indonesia: Conducted simultaneous elections successfully for the
first time in 2019.
 Success Stories:
o South Africa and Sweden have reported reduced electoral costs and
disruptions.
 Challenges:
o Brazil and the Philippines face criticism for overshadowing local
issues during national campaigns.

7. Positives and Negatives

Positives:
 Cost Efficiency: Saves ₹10,000-12,000 crore per electoral cycle.
 Reduced Voter Fatigue: Reduces the burden on voters, who currently
face elections every few months.
 Policy Stability: Governments can focus on governance and
development without frequent election-related disruptions.
 Administrative Benefits: Reduces the deployment of over 10 lakh
government personnel annually for electoral duties.
Negatives:
 Overshadowing of Regional Issues: National campaigns may dominate
regional agendas, weakening the voice of local concerns.
 Implementation Challenges: Constitutional amendments require
significant political consensus.
 Disruption of Mid-Term Elections: Managing premature dissolutions of
State Assemblies poses a logistical and legal challenge.
References
1. ONOE Proposal Report (2024) – High-Level Committee chaired by Ram
Nath Kovind.
2. NITI Aayog Report on Simultaneous Elections (2017) – Bibek Debroy
& Kishore Desai.
3. 79th Parliamentary Standing Committee Report (2015) – Feasibility
of Simultaneous Elections.

-----Draft 3---

The One Nation, One Election (ONOE) Bill: A Bold step forward or a
Challenging Feat?
The One Nation, One Election (ONOE) Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha today.
While it secured 269 votes in Favor, it fell short of the two-thirds majority
required (307 out of 461). But what exactly is ONOE, and how could
simultaneous elections impact India’s economy and governance? Let’s break it
down.
What is ONOE?
The ONOE Bill proposes synchronizing Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections
every five years, a practice successfully followed in India from 1952 to 1967.

Key Features of the ONOE Bill

1. Synchronized Elections: Lok Sabha and state polls occur together, with
local body elections following within 100 days.
2. Economic and Legal Reforms: Amendments to Articles 82, 83, 172,
and 356 are essential to enable this transformation.
3. Unified Electoral Roll: Reduces redundancy and improves transparency.

Economic and Resource Implications

 Election Costs:
The 2024 General Elections are expected to cost ₹1.35 lakh crore, a
2.5x increase from 2019 and slightly surpassing the 2024 US elections
(₹1.33 lakh crore). State elections add another ₹5,000-8,000 crore
annually.
➡️ONOE could save ₹20,000-30,000 crore every five years.
 Manpower Optimization:
Over 12 million personnel (polling staff and security forces) participated
in 2024 elections. Simultaneous elections would streamline resources and
reduce logistical strain.

Economic Benefits of ONOE

1. GDP Growth:
According to the Kovind Committee report, GDP could rise by 1.5
percentage points post-simultaneous elections—a gain of ₹4.95 lakh
crore, roughly half of India’s public health budget.
2. Inflation Control:
Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation could drop by 1.1%, fostering
greater price stability.
3. Private Investments:
Reduced policy uncertainty ensures a stable environment, encouraging
long-term investments.
4. Resource Efficiency:
o Security Deployment: Reduces frequent mobilization of forces.

o EVM Management: The Election Commission uses 4 million

EVMs for nationwide polls; synchronization minimizes frequent
purchases.
Challenges vs Opportunities
Challenges:
 Constitutional Amendments require broad political consensus.
 Regional Representation: Risk of national narratives overshadowing
local issues.
 Logistics: Managing elections across 543 Lok Sabha and 4,120 Vidhan
Sabha constituencies is no small feat.
Opportunities:
 Significant cost savings for reallocation to healthcare, education, and
infrastructure.
 Reduced Model Code of Conduct (MCC) disruptions, ensuring policy
stability.
 Relief for migrant workers who face financial burdens due to frequent
travel for voting.

Global Experiences
 Countries like South Africa, Sweden, and Indonesia have successfully
implemented synchronized elections, reducing costs and administrative
burdens.
 However, countries like Brazil face challenges, where national campaigns
overshadow local issues.

The Road Ahead

While challenges exist, the One Nation, One Election initiative has immense
potential to make India more economically progressive and governance-
efficient. With savings of up to ₹30,000 crore and a potential GDP boost of
1%-1.5%, ONOE could mark a significant step toward resource optimization and
policy stability.
#ONOE promises a future where governance is seamless, resources are
optimized, and India moves closer to its economic potential,➡️What are your
thoughts? 👇
#OneNationOneElection #ONOE #IndiaProgress #EconomicReform
#Governance #PolicyDebate

Reference
Most expensive polls ever? Nearly Rs 1.35 lakh crore spent in 2024
election
https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha/story/lok-sabha-election-2024-
expenditure-election-commission-2546455-2024-05-31

One Nation, One Election: Benefits, challenges, way forward; all you
need to know

https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/one-nation-one-election-benefits-
challenges-way-forward-all-you-need-to-know-446486-2024-09-18

One Nation, One Election: From Concept To Reality

https://www.outlookindia.com/national/debates-around-one-nation-one-poll-from-
concept-to-reality-magazine-319090?
gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA34S7BhAtEiwACZzv4bZ8D4DW6ZvU32-
cqJ0Y4lfk9ehS4ebq1Hd2tuM6sI9g9cas2-2-QxoCgjsQAvD_BwE

‘One Nation, One Election’ can boost India’s economic growth

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/opinion/one-nation-one-election-can-boost-
india-s-economic-growth-12890587.html

The Idea of Simultaneous Elections in India

https://www.nextias.com/blog/simultaneous-elections/

https://www.indiatoday.in/diu/story/one-nation-one-election-cost-gdp-economic-
advantages-2603612-2024-09-20

Final

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗘) 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹: 𝗔 𝗕𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗮
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁?
The ONOE Bill, tabled in the Lok Sabha yesterday, secured 269 votes but fell
short of the two-thirds majority (~307). What is ONOE, and how could it shape
India’s economy and governance? Let’s dive.

➡𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗘?
The ONOE Bill proposes synchronizing Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections
every five years, a practice successfully followed in India from 1952 to 1967.

➡𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱:

🔸 Synchronized Elections: Lok Sabha and state polls together, local body polls
within 100 days.
🔸 Economic and Legal Reforms: Amendments to Articles 82, 83, 172, and 356 are
essential to enable this transformation.
🔸 Unified Electoral Roll: Reduces redundancy and improves transparency.

➡𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:

🔸 Election Costs: The 2024 General Elections are expected to cost ₹1.35 lakh
crore, a 2.5x increase from 2019 and slightly surpassing the 2024 US elections
(₹1.33 lakh crore). State elections add another ₹5,000-8,000 crore annually.
➡️ONOE could save ₹20,000-30,000 crore every five years.

🔸 Manpower Optimization: ~12 million personnel (polling staff & security forces)
participated in the 2024 elections. Simultaneous elections would streamline
resources and reduce logistical strain.

➡𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗘:

percentage points 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀—a gain of ~₹4.95 lakh

🔸 GDP Boost: According to The Kovind Committee report, GDP could rise by 1-1.5

crore (based on FY25 GDP estimates)

🔸 Inflation Control: Consumer Price Index (CPI) Inflation could drop by 1.1%,
fostering greater price stability.
🔸 Private Investments: Reduced policy uncertainty ensures a stable environment,
encouraging long-term investments.
🔸 Resource Efficiency: Reduces frequent mobilization of forces and minimizes
repeated purchases of EVMs (~4 million used)

➡𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀:

🔸 Risk of 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 issues.

🔸 Logistics: Managing elections across 543 Lok Sabha and 4,120 Assembly
constituencies is a massive task.
➡𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀:
🔸 Significant cost savings can be redirected to Healthcare, Education, and
Infrastructure.
🔸 Reduced MCC disruptions ensure policy stability and reduce financial burdens
on migrant workers

➡𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀: South Africa, Sweden, and Indonesia succeeded with

synchronized elections, while Brazil faces challenges

➡𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗔𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱:

While challenges exist, ONOE promises seamless governance, optimized
resources, and a stronger economic push. With savings up to ₹30,000 crore and
a 1%-1.5% GDP boost, it’s a step toward efficiency and stability.
What are your thoughts? 👇

#𝗢𝗻𝗲𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗢𝗻𝗲𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 #𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗘