New Delhi: Bill On 'One Nation One Election' Likely To Be Introduced In Lok Sabha On December 17

NEW DELHI: A constitutional amendment bill aimed at conducting the Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously is expected to be introduced in the Parliament on Tuesday and may be sent to a joint committee of both Houses for further review.

A senior government official stated that the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, commonly known as the "one nation, one election" bill, is expected to be introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

Following its introduction, Meghwal will ask Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to refer the bill to a Joint Committee of Parliament for broader consultations. The joint committee will be formed on a pro-rata basis, reflecting the strength of MPs from different parties. The functionary stated that, as the largest party, the BJP will be granted the chairmanship of the committee, along with several members.

The functionary said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, a member of the high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, which recommended holding Lok Sabha, state assembly, and local body elections simultaneously in phases, is likely to be present in the Lower House during the Bill's introduction.

Last week, the Union Cabinet decided to conduct simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies but chose to leave the method for holding local body elections "as of now." Meghwal may inform the Lower House that, since the Bill requires broader consultations with lawmakers and the public, it should be referred to a joint committee.

The Speaker will request the names of members for the proposed panel from the parties on the same day. If the parties fail to inform the Speaker about the members they wish to nominate for the panel, they may forfeit their membership, as per the rules. The functionary said that the Speaker will announce the committee's composition by the evening on the day the Bill is introduced.

The proposed committee will initially have a tenure of 90 days, although it may be extended later. The Union Cabinet has approved two bills to conduct parliamentary and assembly elections concurrently. During the consultation process on "one nation, one election," Kovind stated that 32 parties supported the idea, while 15 did not.

The concept of simultaneous elections has been discussed in numerous reports and studies since 1983, essentially advocating for a return to the previous practice of holding elections concurrently.

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