The introduction of the One Nation One Election bills also led to significant discussions and criticism from members of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Trinamool Congress.
On Tuesday, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced Constitution Amendment Bills aimed at holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections during the Lok Sabha session. After an initial round of discussions, there was a call for a division of votes from the Opposition as the Law Minister proposed to introduce the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The voting results showed 269 members in favor and 198 against, as reported by Veena Jain on X
Breaking!🚨
BJP to send notice to more than 20 MPs who were absent during voting on ONOE bill
It’s a Disaster bill, even BJP MPs didn’t vote for this 💀
btw, Modi was also absent, do they sending Notice to him also!? 🤔#OneNationOneElectionBill pic.twitter.com/a7gMACRzK1
— Veena Jain (@DrJain21) December 17, 2024
Congress MP Manish Tewari expressed his concern about the bills to hold simultaneous elections, saying these challenge the basic structure of the Constitution.
He made his view clear in the Lok Sabha: “Introduction and consideration of Bills related to one nation, one election may be beyond the legislative power of this House. I respectfully urge the government to reconsider these proposals.”
What’s in the One Nation One Election Bill?
Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament Dharmendra Yadav has strongly opposed the proposed bills for simultaneous elections, asserting that they represent an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party to establish a form of ‘dictatorship’ in the nation.
He articulated his position by stating, “I find it difficult to understand that merely two days ago, significant efforts were made to uphold the Constitution. Now, within this short timeframe, the Constitution Amendment Bill appears to compromise the fundamental spirit and structure of the Constitution. I align myself with Manish Tewari, and on behalf of my party and our leader Akhilesh Yadav, I assert that the framers of our Constitution were among the most learned individuals of their time. Furthermore, within this venerable House, there has been no one more knowledgeable.
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One Nation, One Election Bill Details
The “One Nation, One Election” bill, officially referred to as the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, proposes significant reforms to the electoral framework in India. According to a version of the bill shared on December 13, the proposal asserts that should the Lok Sabha or any state assembly be dissolved before the completion of its five-year term, mid-term elections shall be conducted solely for the affected legislative body, thereby allowing it to fulfill the remainder of its term without prompting elections for other legislatures.
A core element of the bill is the introduction of Article 82(A), which mandates the simultaneous conduct of elections for the Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies. Additionally, the bill seeks to amend existing articles, specifically Articles 83 (duration of the Houses of Parliament), 172 (duration of state legislative assemblies), and 327 (powers of Parliament concerning election provisions).
The bill stipulates that these amendments will take effect on an “appointed date,” to be announced by the President of India during the initial sitting of the Lok Sabha following a general election. The proposed timeline suggests that this appointed date will follow the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029, with the possibility of implementing simultaneous elections commencing in 2034.
Furthermore, the bill delineates that the tenure of the Lok Sabha will be five years from the appointed date, ensuring that the tenures of all legislative assemblies elected thereafter will be aligned with that of the Lok Sabha.
This initiative is a salient feature of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s manifesto for the 2024 elections and is supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nevertheless, the bill has encountered considerable opposition from several political parties and civil society groups, who argue that it may compromise the principles of democratic accountability and representation. Recently, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh advocated for the bill to be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, thereby promoting a thorough examination and discussion to assess its implications for the democratic process in India.