The Centre's proposed 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE) initiative could begin implementation from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) indicating significant progress in consultations on the electoral reform.

JPC Chairman P P Chaudhary said that nearly 99% of civil society groups and organisations consulted so far have expressed support for the proposal. The committee is currently holding discussions with state governments, constitutional experts and other stakeholders to build consensus on synchronising elections across the country.

The proposal seeks to conduct Lok Sabha, State Assembly and eventually local body elections simultaneously, replacing the current system of staggered elections held throughout the year.

State Consultations Continue

As part of its ongoing deliberations, the committee has interacted with representatives from several states, including the Chief Minister of Goa and members of the state cabinet.

The JPC's tenure has been extended until the Monsoon Session of Parliament in 2026, allowing additional time for consultations before finalising its recommendations.

According to the committee, discussions are focused on constitutional, administrative and logistical aspects of implementing a common election cycle.

Phased Implementation Under Consideration

Rather than introducing simultaneous elections across the country in a single step, the government is examining a two-phase implementation model.

Under the proposal, Assembly elections in around 20 states could be synchronised with the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, while the remaining states would gradually be brought into the common electoral cycle by 2034.

The phased approach aims to minimise disruption by avoiding repeated elections or significant reductions in the tenure of elected state governments.

Constitutional Changes Required

Implementing the proposal will require amendments to several constitutional provisions, including Articles 83, 172 and 356.

These amendments would need approval by a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament and ratification by at least half of India's states, making broad political consensus essential.

The proposal also outlines mechanisms to maintain a common election cycle if governments fall before completing their terms. In such cases, fresh elections would be held only for the remainder of the existing term rather than a full five-year tenure.

How States Could Be Aligned

According to the proposed framework, states whose Assembly terms extend beyond 2029 could have their tenures curtailed through constitutional amendments to align with the common election schedule.

Conversely, states whose terms expire before 2029 may either have governments elected for shorter durations or, in certain circumstances, remain under President's Rule for a limited period until synchronised elections are held.

These options remain under discussion and would require legal and political approval before implementation.

Expert Views and Historical Context

Legal experts believe the Constitution provides mechanisms to implement simultaneous elections in phases.

Anand Paliwal, former member of the Law Commission and Dean of the Faculty of Law at Mohanlal Sukhadia University, said constitutional provisions allow both the extension and reduction of legislative terms under specific circumstances, although any such exercise would require appropriate amendments and broad political agreement.

India previously conducted simultaneous elections between 1952 and 1967, when Lok Sabha and most State Assembly polls were held together. The cycle was disrupted after several state governments collapsed in the late 1960s, followed by the early dissolution of the Lok Sabha in 1970.

Since then, mid-term elections, coalition governments, President's Rule and premature dissolution of Assemblies have resulted in elections being held at different times across the country.

The Ram Nath Kovind Committee, constituted in September 2023 to examine the proposal, submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu in March after extensive consultations and research. The government is now examining its recommendations as it works towards building political consensus on one of India's most significant electoral reforms.