One Nation One Election (ONOE) & Delimitation
One Nation One Election (ONOE) & Delimitation (Polity)
Why In News:
The government is reportedly planning to re-introduce the Delimitation Bill and push for implementation of One Nation One Election (ONOE) by 2029. This follows the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill tabled in December 2023 and referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
What is One Nation One Election?
ONOE refers to conducting simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies (and potentially Urban Local Bodies/Panchayats) in a single election cycle.
India had simultaneous elections until 1967. The pattern was disrupted by dissolution of state assemblies and subsequent mid-term elections.
The Kovind Committee (High-Level Committee on ONOE, 2023) recommended a two-phase implementation: first sync Lok Sabha + State Assembly elections, then add local body elections within 100 days.
What is Delimitation?
Delimitation means redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies based on the latest Census data.
The last delimitation was based on the 1971 Census, frozen in 2001 till 2026 to not penalise states that controlled population growth.
Key Facts for Prelims
Delimitation Commission: Statutory body constituted under the Delimitation Commission Act, 2002. Chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge. Its orders have the force of law and cannot be challenged in any court (Article 329).
Current Lok Sabha seats: 543. Post-delimitation, this could potentially rise significantly.
Election Commission's role: Advisory member (not voting member) in the Delimitation Commission.