The Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday cleared the proposal for ‘One Nation One Election’ that seeks simultaneous conduct of Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, with urban body and panchayat polls to be held within 100 days of the completion of the general elections.
As per sources to News18, the bill for holding simultaneous polls is expected to be introduced in the upcoming winter session of Parliament.
The bill must get the nod from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to become a law after the President of India gives assent to it.
A high-level committee, chaired by former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, submitted its report on the ‘One Nation One Election’, also known as ‘One Nation, One Poll’ (ONOP) to the Modi government in March this year.
The committee was constituted by the second Modi government to examine the feasibility of simultaneous elections, one of the key promises made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its 2024 Lok Sabha poll manifesto.
What ‘One Nation One Election’ report says
The report, comprising 18,626 pages, details an outcome of consultations with stakeholders, experts and research work of 191 days.
It lays out a detailed roadmap for the implementation of simultaneous elections aiming to streamline India’s electoral process and reduce the number of polls.
18 constitutional amendments recommended
The panel recommended as many as 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not require ratification by state assemblies. They would, however, need certain constitutional amendment bills that would need to be passed by Parliament.
Also, some proposed changes regarding the single electoral roll and single voter ID card would need ratification by at least half of the states.
Simultaneous polls will ‘prevent policy paralysis’
The panel has emphasised that holding elections at all three levels – for the Lok Sabha, for state assemblies, and for panchayats – will “avoid disruption of supply chains and production cycles due to migrant workers seeking leave of absence to cast their votes”.
It further said that the ‘One Nation One Election’ push will also help “prevent policy paralysis”, and there would be no “atmosphere of uncertainty”.
As per the report by Kovind-led panel, all state legislative assemblies constituted by state elections after the appointed date shall only be for the period up to the subsequent general elections in 2029.
“In effect, state governments formed between 2024 and 2028 will have a shorter term till the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, subsequent to which there will be automatic simultaneous Lok Sabha and state elections,” the report said.
The report has also recommended that in the event of a hung House, no-confidence motion or any such event, fresh elections may be held to constitute the new House – be it in Lok Sabha or state assemblies.
“The term of the new government hence formed will also be only for the unexpired term of the preceding full term of the Lok Sabha and the expiration of this period shall operate as dissolution of the House,” the report said.
Prime Minister Modi, who has been a strong advocate of ‘One Nation One Election’, in his Independence Day 2024 address called for an end to the “disruption” caused by frequent elections, which he argued were hindering the country’s progress.
“Frequent elections are creating hurdles in the progress of the nation. It has become easy to link any scheme or initiative with elections. There are elections somewhere every three to six months. Every work is linked to elections,” PM Modi said from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15.
Earlier this week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that ‘One Nation One Election’ will be implemented during the tenure of Modi 3.0.
The BJP allies, the Janata Dal (United) or JDU and the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) have extended support for the move. But, several opposition parties, including the Congress, tge Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) among others have opposed simultaneous polls, alleging that it would benefit the ruling party at the Centre.
The idea of ‘One Nation One Election’ was first proposed in the 1980s.
In May 1999, Justice BP Jeevan Reddy-headed Law Commission in its 170th Report said that “we must go back to the situation where the elections to Lok Sabha and all the Legislative Assemblies are held at once.”
The elections for the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies were held simultaneously in 1951-52, 1957, 1962 and 1967. However, the cycle of state polls was disrupted due to the premature dissolution of assemblies. In 1970, the Lok Sabha was also dissolved early in 1970.
With inputs from agencies.
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Modi Cabinet clears ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, bill likely in Parliament’s winter session
