History of ‘One Nation, One Election’ in India
The concept of ‘One Nation, One Election,’ which refers to simultaneous elections for the central and state governments, was recently approved by the Union Cabinet. A bill on this matter will soon be discussed in Parliament. However, this is not a new concept for India or its voters, as it existed in the country earlier. In fact, the first general elections in 1952 followed this very method. However, 57 years ago, in 1967, this system was quietly discontinued, leading to state and central elections being held at different times.
Last Simultaneous Elections in 1967
India last conducted elections under the ‘One Nation, One Election’ method in 1967. During the fourth general elections, voting was held for 520 Lok Sabha constituencies and 3,563 assembly constituencies across the country in a single phase from February 15 to 21, except for Uttar Pradesh, where voting occurred in four phases.
Beginning of the End: 1962
The system began to break down after 1967. The seeds of this disruption were sown in 1962 when India experienced significant political and social turmoil. The country had suffered a humiliating defeat in the Sino-Indian War, followed by the death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in May 1964. His successor, Lal Bahadur Shastri, died unexpectedly in January 1966, shortly after signing a ceasefire agreement with Pakistan.
During this time, India also faced droughts, inflation, and growing anti-government sentiments, which complicated the political landscape.
Indira Gandhi’s Leadership
After Shastri’s death, Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister in January 1966, defeating Morarji Desai in the Congress party’s internal election for leadership. This caused a rift within the Congress party, especially between Indira Gandhi and senior leaders like Desai. Meanwhile, opposition parties such as the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), the Independent Party, and the United Socialist Party (SSP) were gaining momentum, challenging Congress’s dominance.
The 1967 General Elections and the Congress’s Challenges
In 1967, India had a population of 438.7 million, with 250.3 million eligible voters. The voting age was 21 at that time, and voter turnout was 61.33%, the highest recorded till then. Congress won 283 seats, a majority but its lowest tally until that point. The Independent Party, led by C. Rajagopalachari, became the main opposition party, securing 44 seats, followed by the BJS with 35, the DMK with 25, and others like SSP, PSP, CPI, and CPM.
In states like Bihar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, Congress lost significant ground, as key leaders defected to opposition parties or formed their own groups. The opposition united to form joint legislative forces in some states, which led to coalition governments.
Collapse of Joint Legislative Forces
However, these coalitions were short-lived. By 1968-69, mid-term elections had to be held in states like Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal due to the collapse of these governments. This period of political instability marked the end of ‘One Nation, One Election.’
The 1969 Presidential Election and Congress Split
The 1969 Presidential Election further exacerbated the political crisis. After the death of President Zakir Hussain, a split within the Congress over the election resulted in the formation of two factions: Congress (O) led by senior members, and Congress (R) led by Indira Gandhi. This led to instability, with President’s Rule imposed in several states, and alternate governments formed in others.
Final Breakdown of Simultaneous Elections
In 1971, Indira Gandhi called for early general elections, held 15 months before the scheduled date. However, states like Bihar, Haryana, Kerala, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal had already held early elections in 1969 and 1970, effectively ending the ‘One Nation, One Election’ system. In the 1971 elections, simultaneous elections were held only in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal along with the Lok Sabha.
1967’s Failed Attempt by the Election Commission
In 1967, the Election Commission made one final attempt to retain the ‘One Nation, One Election’ system. The Commission proposed holding Lok Sabha and state assembly elections in the first week of March, instead of the third week of February, to avoid disrupting the central and state budget sessions. However, this proposal was never implemented, and after 1967, simultaneous elections were no longer conducted in India.
