Strong Public Support for ‘One Nation, One Election,’ Survey Reveals

The proposal to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies, widely referred to as the "One Nation, One Election" (ONOE) initiative, has garnered overwhelming support among Indian citizens, according to a recent nationwide survey conducted by News18.

The ‘News18 Pulse: One Nation, One Election’ survey, conducted from December 23 to 31, 2024, polled 4,573 respondents across 29 states and Union Territories. The survey revealed that 80.1% of participants support the ONOE proposal, while 16% expressed opposition, and 3.9% were undecided.

Regional and Demographic Insights

Support for ONOE was highest in Central India (90.7%), followed by North India (87.3%) and East India (84%). Among the respondents, 66.1% were urban-based and 33.9% were from rural areas, with a majority identifying as businesspersons, traders, land-owning farmers, white-collar workers, and homemakers.

The survey also highlighted gender representation, with 73.7% male respondents and 26.3% female respondents, and noted higher participation of women from the North East.

Benefits and Concerns Identified

Respondents overwhelmingly endorsed the potential advantages of simultaneous elections:

• 81.2% agreed it would save public money and reduce expenditure.
  
  
• 80.8% believed it would minimize disruptions to daily life caused by frequent elections.

Regarding voter clarity, nearly 50% expressed confidence that voters could differentiate between national and state-level candidates. Additionally, 55.9% believed simultaneous voting would not create confusion.

However, approximately one-third of ONOE supporters acknowledged that simultaneous elections might pose challenges in voter differentiation, particularly in South and West India.

Legislative Developments

The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session, forms the legislative backbone of the ONOE proposal. The bill proposes:

• Insertion of a new Article 82A, mandating simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
  
  
• Amendments to Article 83, Article 172, and Article 327 to synchronize election schedules.
  
  
• Fixing the Lok Sabha's tenure to five years from an "appointed date" established by presidential notification.

The 39-member joint parliamentary committee, led by BJP MP PP Chaudhary and including leaders from all major political parties, will convene its first meeting on Wednesday to deliberate on the bill.

Debate Among Political Parties

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) argues that simultaneous elections will reduce the financial burden on the exchequer and streamline the electoral process. However, opposition parties have raised logistical concerns, citing challenges like the inability to synchronize recent elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Former President Ram Nath Kovind, who chaired a high-level committee examining ONOE, revealed that 32 political parties have endorsed the proposal, while 15 remain opposed.

As discussions around the ONOE initiative intensify, the proposal has emerged as a significant point of contention in Indian politics. While the public appears largely supportive, the success of the initiative hinges on addressing logistical challenges and achieving consensus among political stakeholders.