One Nation, One Election" Bill Likely to Shake Up Indian Politics: Lok Sabha to Witness Historic Introduction Tomorrow!

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The "One Nation, One Election" Bill, which aims to hold Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously, is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha tomorrow. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is expected to present the bill and subsequently request Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to refer it to a Joint Committee of Parliament for wider consultations. This constitutional amendment, officially named the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, will be debated in Parliament before the committee is formed.

The committee, which will include members from both Houses of Parliament, will be established based on the proportional strength of different political parties. As the largest party, the BJP will likely chair the committee, according to a senior government official. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was part of the high-level committee that recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies, is expected to be present during the bill's introduction. The Union Cabinet had earlier approved two bills for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, but deferred decisions regarding local body polls.

After the bill's introduction, Meghwal will propose that it be sent to the joint committee for further discussions. The committee's tenure will initially be 90 days, but it may be extended. If political parties fail to nominate their representatives to the committee, they risk losing their membership. The speaker is expected to announce the committee's composition on the same day the bill is introduced. This concept of holding simultaneous elections, which was practiced from 1951 to 1967, has been featured in several reports since 1983, with 32 parties supporting the idea and 15 opposing it.