'One Nation, One Election' Bill Not To Be Introduced in Monsoon Session

Amid the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Constitution Amendment Bill linked to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ plan will not be introduced during the current session. Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the bill has been given an extension and will now have to submit its report by the first day of the final week of the Winter Session.

The government is unlikely to introduce the Constitution Amendment Bill linked to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ plan during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. The development follows another extension granted to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the proposed legislation. The 41-member committee has now been given more time to complete its work and submit its report.

JPC gets fresh extension

The JPC on Wednesday, July 29, approved a resolution seeking an extension for submitting its report. Committee chairman P.P. Chaudhary moved the resolution, asking for the deadline to be extended until the first day of the final week of the Winter Session. The resolution was passed by voice vote.

The extension means the committee will not submit its report during the current Monsoon Session.

The Winter Session of Parliament usually begins in the last week of November and ends before Christmas. The exact dates for the upcoming session will be announced separately.

Committee examining simultaneous elections

The 41-member JPC is examining the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to create a framework for holding Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections together.

The proposed ‘One Nation, One Election’ framework is aimed at holding elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies at the same time. The wider proposal also involves simultaneous elections to local bodies.

The committee has been holding consultations across the country to gather views on the proposed system and its possible rollout by 2029.

Bill's next step likely in Winter Session

The extension is significant because the government's next move on the bill is closely linked to the JPC's report.

With the committee now expected to submit its report only during the Winter Session, further parliamentary action on the Constitution Amendment Bill is likely to wait until then.

The bill cannot move ahead on the basis of the committee's recommendations until the report is submitted and considered by Parliament.

The delay also means the government will have more time to consider the committee's findings before deciding on the next stage of the legislation.

What is ‘One Nation, One Election’?

The proposal seeks to align elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies so that voters can cast their votes for both at the same time.

Supporters of the plan argue that holding elections together could reduce the repeated cost and administrative effort involved in conducting separate polls. They also say it could reduce the disruption caused by frequent election campaigns and the Model Code of Conduct.

Opponents, however, have raised questions about its impact on the federal structure and the functioning of State governments.

(With agency inputs)