New Delhi: Two bills related to "one nation, one election" have been listed by the central government for introduction in the Lok Sabha on Monday (December 16, 2024).
Union Law Minister Meghwal will introduce The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill in the Lower House. Earlier on Thursday (Dec 12), the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the constitutional amendment bill to roll out the concept of simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls.
Two draft legislations, including one simple bill to amend provisions in laws dealing with three Union territories with legislative assemblies to align them with the Constitution amendment bill, were given the nod by the Cabinet.
Holding simultaneous polls was a key poll plank of BJP and the bill is a step in significant step in achieving the same. The proposed constitutional amendment bill would deal with making provisions for holding Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly elections together.
While a high-level committee led by former president Ram Nath Kovind on simultaneous polls had also proposed holding municipality and panchayat elections along with the national and state elections in a phased manner, the Cabinet has decided to stay away, "as of now", from how local body elections are conducted.
The Role of the High-Level Committee
The 'One Nation, One Election' concept has been a subject of discussion for several years, but it gained momentum after the formation of a high-level committee in 2023. The committee's recommendations provided a phased approach to implement simultaneous elections, beginning with the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The high-level committee's report, submitted in March 2024, emphasised that the process would involve 18 key amendments to existing laws, including 15 amendments to the Constitution. This proposal has been met with mixed reactions, with many political parties expressing their concerns.
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