‘One nation, one election’ bills for simultaneous polls tabled in Lok Sabha; ‘assault on the basic structure’ – Oppn

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Government tabled the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bills, paving the way for simultaneous elections in the Lok Sabha today, December 17. The bills were introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in the lower house during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

The two bills approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet on Thursday include The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Soon after the introduction of both the bills, the opposition members registered their objections. “We oppose these Bills intended for one nation, one election. These Bills are an assault on the basic structure of the Constitution and against democracy. It lacks legislative competency. The term of State legislatures cannot be made subject to the term of Lok Sabha. Keeping in mind the Basic Structure doctrine, these Bills have to be withdrawn,” Congress leader Manish Tewari said.

Trinamool Congress MP, Kalyan Banerjee said these Bills hit the basic structure of the Constitution. “Article 83(2) is against proposed Article 83(5). Tenure of State legislatures cannot be subject to the tenure of Lok Sabha. States are not subordinate to Parliament. These Bills take away the autonomy of the State legislatures. Proposed Article 82(5) gives enormous powers to Election Commission of India (ECI), and the ECI will decide whether or not to hold elections. We oppose these Bills,” Banerjee said.

After the introduction of the bills today, the Law Minister is expected to request Speaker Om Birla to refer them to a Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) for wider consultations, according to some reports.

What is one nation one election proposal?

The bills that pave way for unified elections across the nation has been on the agenda of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) for quite some time now.

The Winter Session of Parliament that began on November 25 will end on December 20.

Once passed in the Parliament, the Lok Sabha, the Assembly, and the local body (urban or rural) elections will be held in the same year, if not at the same time.

The first step is to hold Lok Sabha and Assembly polls together. Local body elections will be held within 100 days, the high-level panel led by former President Ram Nath Kovind had recommended in its report on the simultaneous polls.

If the Bill gets passed without any changes the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative could be implemented from 2034.