The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, which seeks to implement simultaneous elections nationwide. According to reports, the bill is expected to be introduced in Parliament next week. Holding simultaneous polls was one of the key promises made by the BJP in its Lok Sabha poll manifesto. The development comes weeks after the government accepted the recommendations of the high-level committee, which was headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind.
Earlier, in September, the Cabinet had endorsed the initiative, proposing synchronized elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, urban local bodies, and panchayats, all to be completed within a 100-day period.
Citing recommendations of the high-level committee, sources had said one of the proposed bills would seek to amend Article 82A by adding sub-clause (1) relating to the appointed date. It will also seek to insert sub-clause (2) to Article 82A relating to the end of terms of the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies together.
It also proposes to amend Article 83(2) and insert new sub-clauses (3) and (4) relating to the duration and dissolution of the Lok Sabha. It also has provisions related to the dissolution of the legislative assemblies and amending Article 327 to insert the term simultaneous elections.
This bill will not require ratification by at least 50 per cent of the states, the recommendation said.
However, any move to hold local body elections together with Lok Sabha and state assemblies will require ratification by at least 50 per cent of the state assemblies as it deals with matters relating to state affairs.
Another bill will be an ordinary one to amend provisions in three laws dealing with Union territories having legislative assemblies — Puducherry, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir — to align the terms of these Houses with other legislative assemblies and the Lok Sabha as proposed in the first constitutional amendment bill.
The statutes it proposes to amend are the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act-1991, the Government of Union Territories Act-1963 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act-2019.
The proposed bill will be an ordinary legislation not requiring a change in the Constitution and will also not need ratification by the states.
The high-level committee had proposed amendments to three Articles, insertion of 12 new sub-clauses in the existing articles and tweaking three laws related to Union Territories having legislative assemblies. The total number of amendments and new insertions stands at 18.
In its report submitted to the government in March, just before the general election was announced, the panel recommended implementing one nation, one election in two phases.
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