There are numerous examples of such One Nation policies being propagated and, in several cases, implemented in the eleven years since this Government came to power. For instance, in 2016, Parliament passed a series of constitutional amendments to introduce a new Goods and Services Tax (GST), which introduced a unified value-added tax in place of state-specific levies. This reform, known informally as One Nation, One Tax, had been debated and discussed for nearly two decades and was widely touted as an important precursor to forging a common market across India's twenty-eight states.
In a similar vein, the government rolled out a new initiative to allow Indian citizens to take advantage of subsidized food rations irrespective of their state of residence. This scheme, commonly termed One Nation, One Ration Card, was intended to increase access to welfare benefits, especially for the millions of internal migrants in India without a fixed place of residence.
Earlier this year, the government announced the launch of a new online portal that will provide students, faculty, and researchers across the country's public higher education institutions with open access to international scholarly journals and articles under a scheme it has dubbed One Nation, One Subscription.
Most notably, the government recently signalled its intention to pursue a monumental One Nation policy that has been long discussed but only recently outlined in detail. This measure, known as One Nation, One Election, would do away with India's current system of staggered elections for state and national assemblies, replacing it with a framework of simultaneous elections. The proposal, which has featured in many of PM's speeches in the past, was advanced by a high-level committee (HLC) established by the government in 2023. (351 words)
[Excerpts from Does “One Nation, One Election" Make Sense for India? by Milan Vaishnav, Caroline Mallory, and Annabel Richter Published on July 28, 2025]
One Nation One Election: Empowering the Election Commission
The provided text highlights a significant trend in Indian governance over the past decade: the implementation of "One Nation" policies. These policies aim to create uniform solutions for various challenges faced by the country, replacing state-specific approaches with nationwide standards. Examples mentioned include the Goods and Services Tax (GST) under the banner of "One Nation, One Tax," and the "One Nation, One Ration Card" scheme designed to enhance welfare access for internal migrants across India.
The "One Nation, One Election" Initiative Explained
Among these "One Nation" policies, the concept of "One Nation, One Election" is particularly notable. This initiative proposes a significant shift from India's current system, where elections for national and state legislative assemblies are conducted at different times. The goal is to conduct these elections simultaneously, a proposal that has been debated extensively and was recently advanced by a High-Level Committee (HLC) established by the government in 2023, as noted in the text.
ECI's Role in Simultaneous Elections
Implementing simultaneous state and national elections is a complex undertaking that requires substantial administrative and logistical capabilities. The Election Commission of India (ECI), the constitutional body responsible for overseeing elections, plays a pivotal role. To effectively manage elections on such a large scale concurrently, the ECI needs specific legal backing and empowerment. This ensures the Commission has the necessary authority and resources to conduct unified polling processes across the nation.
Constitutional Amendment for Unified Electoral Processes
Significant structural changes to the electoral system, such as holding simultaneous elections, often necessitate amendments to the Constitution of India. These amendments provide the legal foundation and empower relevant bodies like the Election Commission of India (ECI) to implement the new framework. The question specifically asks to identify the Constitutional Amendment Bill that deals with empowering the ECI for the purpose of implementing simultaneous state and national elections.
Considering the legislative efforts and discussions surrounding electoral reforms aimed at achieving "One Nation, One Election", the Constitutional Amendment Bill introduced to facilitate this objective and empower the ECI is:
- One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment
- One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment
- One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Amendment
- One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Amendment
The introduction of such a bill represents a legislative step towards aligning India's electoral calendar, potentially leading to more streamlined governance and efficient use of resources.
Similar Questions
During a legal proceeding in India, an advocate argues that the Supreme Court should directly legislate on same-sex marriage because the right to choose a partner inherently implies a fundamental right to marry for all citizens. How would the Supreme Court's judgment likely to counter this argument?
Following the Supreme Court's decision, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group in India aims to achieve legal recognition for same-sex marriage. To which governmental body or bodies should this group primarily direct its lobbying efforts to secure the necessary legislation?
While same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in India, however, the Supreme Court's verdict did offer some acknowledgments of rights for same-sex couples. Which of the following rights was specifically affirmed by the Court?
Ramesh and Suresh, a same-sex couple in India, have lived together for a decade and want to ensure they receive legal benefits equivalent to those of married couples, such as automatic inheritance and pension rights. Based on the Supreme Court's judgment, what is the primary obstacle they face in achieving these benefits
The new acronym that is evolved after LGBTQ+ is an acronym called LGBTQIA+. In this new acronym ‘IA’ refers to:
- The object of One Nation, One Ration Card scheme is to benefit:
According to the passage, the relationship between the Constitution and the Preamble can best be described as:
- What did the earliest draft of the Preamble emphasize?
- Which of the following is not enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution of India?
- Which has been rightly arranged according to the Preamble of the Constitution of India-
Important Questions from Indian Constitution
During a legal proceeding in India, an advocate argues that the Supreme Court should directly legislate on same-sex marriage because the right to choose a partner inherently implies a fundamental right to marry for all citizens. How would the Supreme Court's judgment likely to counter this argument?
Following the Supreme Court's decision, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group in India aims to achieve legal recognition for same-sex marriage. To which governmental body or bodies should this group primarily direct its lobbying efforts to secure the necessary legislation?
While same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in India, however, the Supreme Court's verdict did offer some acknowledgments of rights for same-sex couples. Which of the following rights was specifically affirmed by the Court?
Ramesh and Suresh, a same-sex couple in India, have lived together for a decade and want to ensure they receive legal benefits equivalent to those of married couples, such as automatic inheritance and pension rights. Based on the Supreme Court's judgment, what is the primary obstacle they face in achieving these benefits
The new acronym that is evolved after LGBTQ+ is an acronym called LGBTQIA+. In this new acronym ‘IA’ refers to:
