Overview of Indonesia's Election Experience

In 2019, Indonesia attempted to streamline elections by holding simultaneous elections for multiple levels of government in a single day. This led to nearly 900 poll worker deaths and severe illnesses among thousands. The Constitutional Court in 2025 ruled that national and local elections must be held separately to avoid such tragedies and to enhance democratic participation.

The 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE) Proposal in India

Arguments for ONOE

• Reduction in electoral expenditure.
• Minimization of prolonged security deployments.
• Reduction of disruptions caused by the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
• Prevention of perpetual campaigning by political parties.

International Comparisons

Comparative constitutional practices do not support enforced synchronisation:

• Canada and Australia hold federal and state elections independently.
• Germany’s stability is due to its Constructive Vote of No Confidence, not synchronized elections.
• South Africa and Indonesia use proportional representation to protect minority voices.
• The United States operates on fixed electoral cycles due to its presidential system.

Legislative Framework and Proposed Amendments

Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024

• Article 82A empowers the President to align State Assembly tenures with the Lok Sabha cycle.
• Assemblies formed post-implementation would have curtailed tenures.
• Introduction of "unexpired-term elections" for legislatures dissolved prematurely.
• Amendments proposed to Articles 83, 172, and 327.

Constitutional Concerns

The ONOE proposal raises several constitutional issues:

• Undermines the principle of parliamentary responsibility and legislative accountability.
• Risks transforming India toward a quasi-presidential model.
• Conflicts with the basic structure doctrine affirmed in S.R. Bommai vs Union of India (1994).

Potential Distortions and Risks

• Devaluation of the electoral franchise through truncated mandates.
• Weakening of governance and accountability.
• Creation of a "governance dead zone" through prolonged President's Rule or caretaker governments.

Financial Considerations

Despite concerns about electoral costs, fiscal analyses reveal:

• Election spending is a small fraction of GDP (0.02%-0.05%).
• Simultaneous elections would require significant new resources, negating administrative advantages.

Recommendations and Conclusion

The Justice Kurian Joseph Committee, along with the Tamil Nadu government, recommends withdrawing the ONOE Bill. They argue that the structural harms outweigh the potential benefits, cautioning against repeating Indonesia's mistake.