New Delhi: Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Constitution Amendment Bill for ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE Bill) in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal today introduced The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill-2024 for amending the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
While the amendments in the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 have been proposed respectively for integration of assembly polls of Puducherry and Delhi with Lok Sabha polls, the amendments in J&K Reorganisation Act- 2019 will align J&K’s electoral cycle with Lok Sabha polls as part of Union Government’s “one nation, one election” initiative.”
After being introduced in the House today, both the Constitution( One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and ‘The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 were sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed discussion.
According to the changes proposed in J&K Reorganization Act-2019, the five-year period from the date of the first meeting of the Legislative Assembly shall be referred to as the full-term of the Legislative Assembly.
It further states that term of the Legislative Assembly shall come to an end on the expiry of the full term of Lok Sabha after the President of India notifies the appointed day for implementation of the “one nation, one election” law.
According to the bill, simultaneous elections would come into effect on an “appointed date” to be notified by the President on the first sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election.
Since the first sitting of the Lok Sabha elected in 2024 has already taken place, the earliest the appointed date for simultaneous elections can be notified is the first sitting of the House elected in the 2029 elections. This means that simultaneous polls could be held by 2034, when the full term of that House ends.
It becomes clear now that the bill would not affect the existing five-year term of J&K Assembly which started from October 08, 2024. However, it would cut short the tenure of the UT’s next assembly by six months in 2034.
According to the bill, in case the J & K Assembly gets dissolved before completing its five-year full term, the mid-term election would be held only for the remaining period of five years.
The tabling of the ONOE Bill set the stage for yet another showdown in Parliament as Opposition parties stood in protest, demanding its withdrawal over its ‘anti-constitutional and anti-democratic’ nature.
Congress leaders, in a scathing critique of the government, demanded that the Bill be withdrawn immediately.
Home Minister Amit Shah rebutted the charge and said that it has become a habit of the Congress party to oppose progressive legislations.
The TDP, a key BJP ally expressed unwavering support to the ONOE Bill and said that this will not only ease India’s fiscal burden but will also cut down the electoral expenses by more than 40 per cent.
Among the parties who vociferously opposed the ONOE Bill were the Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, the Shiv Sena (UBT), AIMIM and more.
All of them called the Bill an assault on the Constitution and a brazen attempt to ‘kill democracy and bring authoritarianism and dictatorship.’
The AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, voicing opposition to the Bill, said that this legislation was being brought to finish off all regional parties.
“This is aimed at maximising political gains to a certain party and will pave the way for a presidential form of government,” he said, slamming the BJP-led Centre.
The ONOE Bill proposes to hold simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha as well as State Assemblies, by synchronising the tenures of Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.
The ONOP has been a long-standing poll promise of the BJP-led NDA.
Top Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav and MK Stalin have already opposed the idea of simultaneous polls, calling it a move towards “authoritarian democracy.”
According to reports, the Lok Sabha Speaker is likely to refer the newly-tabled Bills to a Joint Committee of Parliament for wider consultations. (IANS/KNO)
Govt tables ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill; Oppn protests
