Content
- One Nation, One Election — remedy worse than disease
- The need to recognise ‘volunteer’ care work
One Nation, One Election — remedy worse than disease
Basics & Concept
- One Nation One Election (ONOE) proposes synchronising Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections, ensuring that both are held simultaneously every five years to reduce election frequency and streamline electoral administration.
- The proposal seeks to address issues such as frequent election cycles, governance disruptions due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), rising election expenditure, and prolonged political campaigning.
- The idea was first discussed during the 1950–1967 period, when elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies were largely synchronised, before political instability disrupted the cycle.
- Subsequent premature dissolutions of Lok Sabha (1970, 1979, 1991, 1998) and various State Assemblies led to the current staggered electoral cycle, making simultaneous elections administratively difficult.
Relevance
GS I – Society
- Electoral behaviour and democratic participation.
- Impact of electoral cycles on political accountability.
GS II – Polity & Governance
- Parliamentary system and executive accountability.
- Federalism and autonomy of States.
- Constitutional amendments and election reforms.
- Role of the Election Commission of India.
Practice Question
Q.“One Nation One Election may improve administrative efficiency but risks undermining federalism and parliamentary accountability.” Critically examine. (250 words)
Constitutional and Legal Framework
- Articles 83(2) and 172(1) of the Constitution prescribe a maximum tenure of five years for Parliament and State Legislatures but allow earlier dissolution, reflecting the parliamentary principle of executive accountability.
- Articles 75 and 164 establish collective responsibility of the executive to the legislature, meaning governments remain in power only while enjoying legislative confidence.
- The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 proposes a structural framework to implement ONOE through constitutional changes.
- The proposed Article 82A empowers the President to notify an “appointed date”, from which State Assembly tenures would be aligned with the Lok Sabha electoral cycle.
- The amendment also proposes changes to Articles 83, 172 and 327, enabling synchronised elections and regulating parliamentary powers regarding election scheduling.
Key Provisions of the ONOE Constitutional Amendment Proposal
- The amendment introduces the concept of “unexpired-term elections”, whereby a legislature dissolved prematurely would elect a new government only for the remainder of the original five-year cycle.
- This provision ensures that electoral cycles remain synchronised, preventing new governments from resetting the five-year tenure through mid-term elections.
- The proposed Article 82A(5) authorises the Election Commission of India (ECI) to recommend deferring State elections if simultaneous conduct becomes impracticable.
- State Assembly tenures could be curtailed or extended temporarily to align with the national electoral schedule, ensuring uniform election cycles.
Governance Rationale Behind ONOE
- Simultaneous elections could reduce frequent enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which currently disrupts developmental decision-making during election periods.
- The Election Commission estimates that phased elections in India can last over 80 days, requiring large-scale deployment of security forces and election officials.
- Synchronisation could minimise administrative burden, logistical complexity and repeated election mobilisation across states.
- Political parties may focus more on policy and governance rather than continuous electoral campaigning, potentially improving governance stability.
Economic Arguments
- Elections involve significant public expenditure on security deployment, logistics, polling infrastructure and administrative mobilisation.
- The Parliamentary Standing Committee estimated combined election expenditure at around ₹4,500 crore in 2015–16, representing approximately 0.25% of the Union Budget and 0.03% of GDP.
- Supporters argue that simultaneous elections could reduce duplication of costs, including repeated mobilisation of personnel and electoral infrastructure.
- However, critics highlight that election expenditure remains macroeconomically negligible, making fiscal savings insufficient justification for major constitutional restructuring.
Federalism and Constitutional Concerns
- The Supreme Court in S.R. Bommai vs Union of India (1994) declared federalism as part of the Constitution’s Basic Structure, recognising States as constitutionally autonomous entities.
- ONOE may truncate State legislative mandates, even when governments enjoy legislative confidence, thereby affecting the federal principle of independent democratic cycles.
- If implemented, a State elected mid-cycle could lose several years of its constitutionally expected tenure merely to align with national election timelines.
- Critics argue this undermines the constitutional autonomy of States, reducing them to administrative units aligned with national electoral politics.
Parliamentary System vs Stability Debate
- India deliberately adopted a parliamentary system prioritising accountability over fixed tenure, where governments survive only as long as they retain legislative confidence.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar argued in the Constituent Assembly that democracy must balance stability and responsibility, with India choosing continuous accountability.
- ONOE may indirectly push India toward a quasi-presidential system, where tenure stability becomes prioritised over legislative oversight.
- The mechanism of early dissolution currently acts as a democratic safeguard, enabling voters to renew mandates when governments lose confidence.
Issues with “Unexpired-Term Elections”
- The Constitution does not recognise the concept of residual legislative mandates, making the proposal a significant departure from existing constitutional design.
- Governments elected for shortened tenures may lack incentives for long-term governance reforms, potentially encouraging populist policies.
- Mid-cycle elections may reduce voter enthusiasm and legitimacy, as citizens vote for governments that may serve only a partial term.
- Truncated mandates could create a “governance dead zone”, where governments lack stability and administrative continuity.
Risks of Executive Discretion and Democratic Accountability
- The proposed Article 82A(5) grants the Election Commission authority to recommend deferral of State elections without clearly defined criteria or parliamentary oversight.
- Such discretionary power could potentially allow prolonged President’s Rule under Article 356, weakening democratic governance in States.
- A caretaker government awaiting synchronised elections may face difficulties in passing full budgets under Articles 112–117, relying only on Vote on Account provisions under Article 116.
- Constitutional scholars warn that institutional design must prevent misuse of power, regardless of assurances of responsible governance.
Comparative International Experience
- Canada conducts federal and provincial elections independently, allowing each province to determine its own electoral cycle.
- Australia cannot synchronise elections because State legislatures have fixed four-year terms, while the federal House of Representatives has a maximum three-year tenure.
- Germany’s stability arises from the Constructive Vote of No Confidence, requiring Parliament to elect a successor before removing the Chancellor, rather than synchronised elections.
- Indonesia’s simultaneous elections in 2019 resulted in nearly 900 poll worker deaths and over 5,000 illnesses, demonstrating logistical risks of large-scale simultaneous voting.
Democratic Accountability and Electoral Feedback
- Staggered elections create a continuous feedback mechanism, allowing citizens to evaluate governments periodically through different electoral levels.
- Regular elections across Parliament, States and local bodies ensure constant democratic accountability, particularly in a system without a right to recall.
- Political theorist James Madison in Federalist No. 52 argued that frequent elections maintain “immediate dependence and sympathy between government and the people.”
- Synchronised elections could weaken this feedback loop, concentrating electoral accountability into a single national electoral event every five years.
Way Forward
- Consider a two-phase election cycle, synchronising some State elections with Lok Sabha while allowing others to remain staggered.
- Strengthen institutional safeguards and constitutional checks if synchronisation reforms are pursued.
- Enhance logistical capacity of the Election Commission, including EVM availability and security force deployment.
- Promote electoral reforms such as simultaneous voting technology, improved electoral roll management and digital election administration.
- Undertake broad federal consultation with States before constitutional amendments, ensuring consensus in India’s cooperative federal structure.
Prelims Pointers
- ONOE proposal: Synchronisation of Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.
- Relevant Articles: 83, 172, 75, 164, 327.
- Proposed new Article: Article 82A.
- Key case: S.R. Bommai vs Union of India (1994) – federalism part of basic structure.
- Key committee: High-Level Committee on ONOE chaired by Ram Nath Kovind (2023–24).
The need to recognise ‘volunteer’ care work
Context & Budget Announcement
- Union Budget 2026–27 proposes building a “strong care ecosystem” by training 1.5 lakh multiskilled caregivers in geriatric, allied and core care skills under programmes aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).
- The initiative aims to address India’s rapidly expanding care needs due to demographic ageing, rising healthcare demand and increased need for institutional caregiving services.
- However, the proposal exposes a structural paradox: while the state plans to train new caregivers, it overlooks the existing workforce of over 50 lakh women care workers already delivering welfare services.
- These include Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi workers, Anganwadi helpers and mid-day meal workers, who remain classified as “honorary volunteers” rather than formal employees.
Relevance
GS I – Society
- Gender division of labour.
- Women’s unpaid work and social norms.
GS II – Governance / Social Justice
- Welfare delivery through ASHA, Anganwadi workers.
- Labour rights and public service institutions.
Practice Question
Q.“Unpaid and underpaid care work remains one of the largest invisible pillars of India’s welfare state.” Examine the challenges associated with recognising care work in India. (250 words)
India’s Existing Care Workforce
- India’s welfare architecture relies heavily on a large feminised care workforce exceeding 5 million women, who provide essential health, nutrition and childcare services across rural and urban areas.
- ASHA workers, introduced under the National Rural Health Mission (2005), act as community health facilitators responsible for maternal health monitoring, vaccination outreach and disease surveillance.
- Anganwadi workers and helpers, operating under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), deliver nutrition, preschool education and maternal health services.
- Mid-Day Meal workers support the PM POSHAN scheme, ensuring nutritional security for millions of schoolchildren across government schools.
- Despite their critical role in public service delivery, these workers continue to receive small honorariums instead of formal wages, reflecting structural informality.
Governance and Administrative Dimensions
- India’s care workers form the frontline implementation workforce for major welfare schemes including ICDS, National Health Mission, Poshan Abhiyaan and PM POSHAN.
- They perform multidimensional roles including health outreach, nutrition monitoring, community mobilisation, record maintenance and service delivery coordination.
- However, their employment status remains non-contractual and informal, limiting access to labour protections, social security and career progression.
- Some states have introduced honorarium increases, gratuity benefits and insurance coverage, but these remain fragmented and inconsistent across states.
Economic Dimensions of the Care Economy
- India’s care economy is largely unpaid or underpaid, reflecting the global phenomenon where caregiving labour remains undervalued within economic systems.
- According to ILO estimates, unpaid care work globally contributes the equivalent of 9% of global GDP, highlighting its economic significance.
- In India, the Economic Survey 2025–26 citing the Time Use Survey 2024 shows 41% of women aged 15–59 spend around 140 minutes daily on unpaid caregiving activities.
- In contrast, only 21.4% of men spend about 74 minutes daily on caregiving, illustrating a deep gender imbalance in household and care responsibilities.
- This disparity contributes significantly to India’s low Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR), which remains around 37% (PLFS 2023–24).
Gendered Nature of Care Work
- Care work in India is deeply shaped by social norms that treat caregiving as a natural extension of women’s domestic roles rather than skilled labour.
- This perception leads to the “care penalty”, where work traditionally performed by women receives lower wages, limited recognition and minimal institutional protection.
- By classifying welfare workers as “volunteers”, the state effectively externalises care responsibilities while avoiding formal labour obligations.
- This model perpetuates a cycle of feminised informal labour, where essential services are delivered without commensurate economic recognition.
Legal and Constitutional Dimensions
- The Supreme Court judgment in Dharam Singh & Anr. vs State of U.P. (2025) held that work which is recurrent and essential to an institution cannot be treated as temporary indefinitely.
- This ruling provides a legal foundation for converting long-term honorary roles into formal employment, particularly where workers perform core institutional functions.
- Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution reinforce principles of equality and dignity, which arguably extend to ensuring fair labour conditions for essential workers.
- Directive Principles under Article 39 and Article 42 emphasise just conditions of work and social security, relevant to the status of care workers.
Policy Contradiction in India’s Care Economy
- India’s welfare state relies heavily on informal care workers for frontline service delivery, yet continues to classify them as volunteers to reduce fiscal commitments.
- The Union Budget’s plan to train new caregivers highlights the absence of career pathways for existing ASHA and Anganwadi workers performing similar tasks.
- Many of these workers already perform multi-skilled roles requiring community trust, administrative coordination and field expertise.
- Ignoring this existing workforce risks duplicating training investments while neglecting the welfare of experienced workers.
Global and International Labour Standards
- The International Labour Organization (ILO) advocates recognition of care work as a formal sector within labour markets.
- The ILO 5R Framework for Decent Care Work calls for five key actions: Recognise, Reduce, Redistribute, Reward and Represent care work.
- India’s care policy has largely focused on recognition and redistribution through welfare schemes, but lacks adequate reward and representation mechanisms.
- Strengthening these elements is critical for creating a sustainable and equitable care economy.
Social and Developmental Importance
- Care workers act as critical connectors between state institutions and local communities, improving the effectiveness of public welfare programmes.
- Their work directly influences maternal health outcomes, child nutrition, vaccination coverage and early childhood development indicators.
- Strengthening the care workforce is essential for achieving SDG 3 (Good Health), SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work).
- A robust care economy can also generate large-scale employment opportunities for women, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions.
Key Challenges
- Continued classification of care workers as “volunteers” rather than employees results in limited job security and lack of labour rights.
- Honorariums vary widely across states, leading to unequal compensation and regional disparities in welfare delivery systems.
- Lack of formal contracts prevents access to paid leave, maternity benefits and pension coverage.
- The absence of institutional representation reduces workers’ participation in policy and programme design.
Way Forward
- Convert long-term honorary roles into formal employment positions, ensuring fair wages, social security and labour protections.
- Integrate ASHA and Anganwadi workers into NSQF-aligned skill development programmes, enabling career progression and professional recognition.
- Establish a national framework for the care economy, recognising caregiving as a strategic sector for employment and social development.
- Implement the ILO 5R framework, especially focusing on reward and representation of care workers.
- Expand budgetary allocation for care infrastructure, including training, digital support systems and institutional support for frontline workers.
Prelims Pointers
- ASHA workers introduced: National Rural Health Mission, 2005.
- Anganwadi system: Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), 1975.
- Time Use Survey 2024: Women spend 140 minutes daily on caregiving vs 74 minutes by men.
- ILO 5R Framework: Recognise, Reduce, Redistribute, Reward, Represent care work.
