One Nation, One Election (ONOE)

What is ONOE?
ONOE is a proposal to hold elections for the Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, and possibly
local bodies like municipalities and panchayats simultaneously across India. It aims to align
electoral cycles to conduct all elections together or within a fixed period, requiring major
constitutional and legal changes.

Objectives of ONOE

● Reduce election costs and frequency.

● Improve government efficiency by minimizing disruptions.

● Promote national unity through synchronized elections.

Arguments For and Against ONOE

● Supporters’ View: ONOE could save money, reduce populist promises, and
streamline governance.

● Critics’ View: It may undermine India’s diversity, weaken local issues, and reduce
democratic accountability by limiting voter expression over a five-year term.

Key Points of Debate

1. Diversity Concerns: Critics argue ONOE threatens India’s diversity, but there’s no
clear evidence that election timing affects diversity. Similarly, claims that ONOE
promotes national unity are speculative.

2. Democratic Engagement: Critics say frequent elections reflect vibrant democracy,

but ONOE doesn’t devalue democracy. It could create space for social movements
and other forms of public participation.

3. National vs. Local Issues: Some fear ONOE would prioritize national issues,
sidelining local ones. However, this assumes voters can’t differentiate, which lacks
evidence. ONOE might even force national leaders to focus on local concerns.

4. Parliamentary Dignity: Critics claim ONOE could weaken legislative bodies, but
issues like the Anti-Defection Law already limit representatives’ independence.
Mid-term elections under ONOE could enhance accountability.

5. Expenditure and Populism: The government says ONOE will cut election costs, but
candidate spending may not decrease. Populist promises are likely to persist in
competitive politics, regardless of election timing.
 6. Local Governance: The real challenge for Indian democracy is strengthening local
bodies like panchayats, which are often neglected. ONOE’s impact on this is unclear
but unlikely to address deeper governance issues.

Conclusion
ONOE is neither a solution to all democratic problems nor a threat to democracy. It’s a
peripheral issue that doesn’t address core challenges like local governance reform, public
accountability, or political innovation. Both supporters and critics overstate its impact,
focusing too much on election schedules rather than broader democratic needs.

Below is a reformulated version of the content on delimitation tailored for UPSC aspirants,
presented in simple, concise, and clear language suitable for exam preparation.

What is Delimitation?

Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of parliamentary and assembly

constituencies to ensure fair representation. It aims to make sure that each constituency has
roughly the same number of voters, so every vote has equal weight. This process helps
maintain the principle of “one vote, one value.”

Objectives of Delimitation in India

1. Equal Representation: Ensure each constituency has a similar population size so

that every citizen’s vote has equal importance.

2. Balanced Electoral System: Adjust boundaries to reflect population changes and

avoid imbalances in representation.

3. Fair Division: Divide constituencies in a way that ensures equitable representation

for all communities, including Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

4. Adapt to Changes: Update constituency boundaries based on population growth,

migration, or administrative changes.

Constitutional Basis

The process of delimitation in India is guided by the Constitution of India and related laws:
 1. Article 82: Provides for the readjustment of parliamentary constituencies after every
census.

2. Article 170: Deals with the delimitation of state assembly constituencies.

3. Article 327: Empowers Parliament to make laws for the conduct of elections,
including delimitation.

4. Delimitation Commission Act: Parliament enacts laws (e.g., Delimitation Act, 2002)
to regulate the delimitation process.

Historical Timeline of Delimitation in India

1. 1952-56: The first delimitation exercise was conducted after India’s independence to
set up constituencies for the 1952 elections.

2. 1962-63: Second delimitation after the 1961 census, adjusting boundaries based on
population changes.

3. 1972-73: Third delimitation after the 1971 census, further refining constituencies.

4. 1976 Freeze: The 42nd Constitutional Amendment froze delimitation until 2000 to
encourage population control by not penalizing states with lower population growth.

5. 2002-08: The Delimitation Commission (under the Delimitation Act, 2002) redrew
boundaries based on the 2001 census. This was the most recent major exercise.

6. Future: The next delimitation is expected after the first census post-2026, as per the
84th Amendment (2001), which extended the freeze until 2026.

Delimitation Commission

The Delimitation Commission is a statutory body set up by the Government of India to

carry out the delimitation process. Key features include:

1. Composition:

○ Chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge.

○ Includes members like the Chief Election Commissioner (or a representative)

and State Election Commissioners.
 ○ Other members, such as MPs or legislative representatives, may assist.

2. Functions:

○ Redraws boundaries of parliamentary and assembly constituencies.

○ Allocates reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes
(STs) based on population proportions.

○ Ensures transparency by consulting state governments, political parties, and

the public.

3. Independence: The Commission’s decisions are final and cannot be challenged in

court to avoid delays in elections.

Factors Driving the Need for Delimitation

1. Population Growth: Uneven population growth across regions leads to unequal

voter representation. Delimitation ensures constituencies have similar population
sizes.

2. Urbanization and Migration: Rapid urbanization and internal migration change

population distribution, requiring boundary adjustments.

3. Census Updates: New census data provides updated population figures,

necessitating delimitation to reflect current demographics.

4. Fair Representation: To ensure equitable representation for SCs, STs, and other
communities as per their population share.

5. Administrative Changes: Creation of new districts or states may require redrawing

constituency boundaries.

6. Political Balance: To prevent imbalances where some constituencies have far more
voters than others, ensuring fairness in elections.

This simplified content covers the key aspects of delimitation in a way that is easy to
understand and memorize for UPSC preparation. Let me know if you need further
clarification or additional details!