Examine the need for electoral reforms as suggested by various committees with particular reference to “one nation – one election” principle.

Free and fair elections are the bedrock of representative democracy, yet money power, criminalisation and the near-permanent election cycle have prompted successive committees to recommend reforms, of which 'one nation, one election' (simultaneous polls) is the most debated.

Reforms suggested by committees

• Dinesh Goswami Committee (1990): curbing electoral malpractices and state involvement.
• Vohra Committee (1993): tackling criminalisation of politics.
• Indrajit Gupta Committee (1998): state funding of elections.
• Law Commission (255th Report, 2015) and the Second ARC: decriminalisation, transparency in funding, and examining simultaneous elections.

The 'one nation one election' principle

Holding Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections together, as recommended by the High-Level Committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind (2024), aims to cut election expenditure, reduce disruption from the Model Code of Conduct, ease administrative and security burdens, and let governments focus on governance rather than continuous campaigning.

Concerns

• It requires amending Articles 83, 85, 172, 174 and 356 and near-consensus among states.
• Critics fear it dilutes federalism and accountability, and that national issues may overshadow state-specific concerns.
• Synchronising terms after a mid-term collapse is legally complex.

Reforms must therefore proceed with broad consultation, protecting both efficiency and the federal, accountable spirit of Indian democracy.