Urban Local Government Elections Overlooked in One Nation One Election Debate

The Hindu - Opinion · 20 Apr 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance

The ongoing discourse on simultaneous elections (ONOE) has largely ignored urban local government (ULG) elections, despite the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act mandating their role in decentralized governance, highlighting a gap in democratic decentralization.

Key points

74th Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA), 1992 mandates urban local governments (ULGs) as units of decentralized self-governance, yet their elections remain sidelined in the ONOE debate.

One Nation One Election (ONOE) discussions have focused on synchronizing Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections, but excluded ULGs, as seen in the 2015 Parliament Standing Committee report and 2017 NITI Aayog paper.

High Level Committee (HLC) on ONOE recommended synchronizing ULG elections within 100 days of simultaneous Lok Sabha and State Assembly polls, marking a rare inclusion of local bodies in the discourse.

ULGs are State subjects, and their sheer number makes synchronization challenging, as argued by NITI Aayog and the Law Commission of India.

This connects to GS2-Governance as it highlights the gap between constitutional mandates for decentralization and actual implementation, undermining grassroots democracy.

[GS3-Economy] Efficient ULG elections can improve urban service delivery, boosting economic productivity and quality of life in cities, which contribute over 60% to India's GDP.

Way Forward: India should establish a national framework for ULG election synchronization, empower State Election Commissions with digital tools, and amend the 74th CAA to enforce timely elections.

Key terms

74th Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA), 1992

The 74th CAA constitutionalized urban local governments (ULGs) as the third tier of governance, mandating elections every five years and devolving functions like urban planning, water supply, and public health. It is critical for GS2-Polity as it embodies decentralized governance but remains underimplemented.

One Nation One Election (ONOE)

A proposal to synchronize elections for Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, and local bodies to reduce frequent polls, save costs, and ensure governance continuity. Its exclusion of ULGs raises questions about federalism and grassroots democracy, relevant for GS2-Polity and Governance.

Urban Local Governments (ULGs)

Institutions like municipal corporations and councils responsible for urban civic services. Their neglect in ONOE debates reflects a centralizing tendency, undermining the 74th CAA's vision of decentralized governance, a key topic in GS2-Governance.

State Election Commissions (SECs)

Constitutional bodies under Article 243K responsible for conducting ULG elections. Their underutilization in ONOE planning highlights institutional fragmentation, a concern for GS2-Polity and Federalism.