A constitutional amendment bill proposing simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections is expected to be introduced in Parliament on Tuesday (December 17). As per reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, directing them to be present in the House tomorrow. This comes after the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, passed the 'One Nation, One Election bill' on December 12.
‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill Likely To Be Tabled In Parliament On Dec 17
This comes after the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, passed the 'One Nation, One Election bill' on December 12.
A top government functionary, as quoted by news agency PTI, said the bill on "one nation, one election" is expected to be introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. After its introduction, Meghwal will request Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to refer the bill to a Joint Committee of Parliament for wider consultations. The joint panel will be constituted on a pro-rata basis, based on the strength of MPs of various parties.
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As the largest party, the BJP will get the chairmanship of the committee, along with several members, the functionary said.
Meghwal may inform the Lower House that, since the bill will require wider consultations with lawmakers and the public, it should be sent to a joint committee. The speaker will seek the names of members for the proposed panel from the parties on the same day.
The Union Cabinet last week decided to hold simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies but opted to leave, "as of now," how local body polls will be conducted.
Initially, the tenure of the proposed committee will be for 90 days, but it may be extended later. The Union Cabinet has approved two bills to conduct the parliamentary and assembly polls concurrently.
Simultaneous elections were previously held in India between 1951 and 1967. However, the premature dissolution of some state governments in 1968 and 1969, as well as the early termination of the Lok Sabha in 1970, disrupted the simultaneous poll cycle. Currently, general, state, and local body elections are out of sync, following timelines dictated by the terms of each elected body.
The idea of simultaneous polls has been frequently discussed in public gatherings and election rallies since 2014. "One nation, one election" was a key promise made by the BJP during its campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
(With agency inputs)
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