The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval to two bills aimed at simultaneous implementation of state and national elections, which are to be introduced during the ongoing winter session of Parliament in a bid to bring about sweeping changes in the way the world’s biggest elections are conducted. There is a possibility. democracy.
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The proposal to align the elections was a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s 2024 election manifesto and has the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but has been strongly opposed by opposition parties and activists who have alleged that it would hamper democratic accountability and Federalism will suffer.
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The Cabinet approved a constitutional amendment bill to conduct simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies and another bill to conduct elections in the union territories of Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir on a similar basis, people familiar with the details said. The second bill does not require amendment to the Constitution.
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People aware of the details said the bills are likely to be introduced in the ongoing winter session, which ends on December 20, and will be examined by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
The people quoted above said the central government as well as the BJP will conduct wide publicity to create awareness about the provisions of the bills and its impact on electoral reforms.
As a first step, the bills will focus on synchronizing Lok Sabha and assembly elections, as suggested by the Ram Nath Kovind committee, and in the next phase the process of replicating the process for municipal and panchayat elections will be initiated, people said. One of the above quoted states.
A bill to hold simultaneous elections for the assemblies of all states and union territories along with parliamentary elections could be passed by Parliament without consultation with state governments or approval of state assemblies, a person with knowledge of the matter said.
The bill to align local body elections or create a single voter list through the Election Commission of India (ECI) would need to be ratified by at least half the state legislatures, the person quoted above said.
A Constitution Amendment Bill to amend Articles 83 (duration of the Houses of Parliament) and 172 (duration of State Legislatures) requires the support of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting in each House of Parliament.
Since the current strength of the Lok Sabha is 542, the government will need the support of 361 MPs. Apart from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the government will need non-aligned parties like YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which had supported the alliance. The idea is to support the bill, the person quoted above said.
At present, the government will need the support of 154 MPs in the 231-member Rajya Sabha. The current strength of the NDA in the Rajya Sabha is 114, and has six nominated members and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has 86 and others have 25.
In independent India, from the first elections in 1952 till 1967, elections were held simultaneously in the entire country. But since the Lok Sabha and state assemblies can be dissolved before the end of their terms, state and national elections began to be held at different times thereafter.
Several committees, including parliamentary panels, NITI Aayog and the Election Commission of India, have studied simultaneous elections in the past, supporting the idea but flagging logistical concerns.
If implemented, the simultaneous elections will become part of broader changes that will transform India’s political and social landscape, including the census and the delimitation exercise based on it, and the subsequent implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill. ,
The bill has not yet been circulated among the members, but opposition leaders have demanded an investigation into the provisions.
“The Union Cabinet has pushed through the unconstitutional and anti-federal One Nation, One Election Bill, ignoring every legitimate concern raised by experts and opposition leaders. This is not a carefully thought-out reform; This is an authoritarian imposition designed to undermine India’s democracy and federal structure,” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Twitter.
He said Trinamool Congress members “will strongly oppose this draconian law in Parliament.”
Biju Janata Dal leader Sasmit Patra said that there is a need for more discussion in Parliament. “What will happen when there is lack of majority, there is a hung Parliament or Assembly, or the government loses confidence midway? I think there are many major issues that are constitutionally demanding and have not been addressed so far in One Nation, One Election. I believe there is a need for broader consultation and dialogue with political parties.
Congress leader K Suresh said the party came to know about the Cabinet approval through the media and the government should invite all political parties and state governments to discuss the national issue. “…There should be some consensus… But the government is going to introduce the bill without any discussion with the states and political parties… From the beginning, our stand on one nation one election has been clear. The government should explain why they want to bring the bill.”
Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Manoj Jha said his party has not yet seen the provisions of the bill. “Is this going on the same lines as the Women’s Reservation Bill? We don’t know when delimitation or census will take place,” he said.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin criticized the bill and said it would disrupt federalism. :This impractical and undemocratic step will erase regional voices, destroy federalism and disrupt governance. Wake up India! Let us oppose this attack on Indian democracy with all our strength.” He posted on X.
In September, the Union Cabinet approved the recommendations of a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
The 18,000-page Kovind panel report outlines a phased approach to holding elections simultaneously, starting with the Lok Sabha and state assemblies first, followed by local body elections within 100 days. Modi has repeatedly advocated holding simultaneous elections to reduce expenses and cut restrictions imposed on policy making.
The Kovind panel constituted by the central government on September 2, 2023, received responses from 47 political parties, of which 32 supported simultaneous elections. These parties – including the BJP, BJD, Janata Dal United (JDU) and Shiv Sena – said the proposal would save scarce resources, protect social harmony and encourage economic growth.
However, 13 political parties, including Congress, TMC, DMK, Aam Aadmi Party and CPI(M), together opposed the election, expressing concerns that it could violate the basic structure of the Constitution, be undemocratic and anti-federal. Yes, it may be regionally marginalised. Parties encourage the dominance of national parties and lead to a presidential system of governance.
The panel ultimately suggested amending the Constitution to introduce simultaneous voting for elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as a first step. It also suggested synchronizing the elections of municipalities and panchayats with those of Lok Sabha and Assemblies at a later stage.
National and state elections are conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and local body elections are conducted by state election commissions.
Hinting that 2029 could be the year to initiate the first step, the panel recommended that the tenure of some state assemblies be cut to allow simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies after the next five-year term. Lok Sabha is over.
The panel proposed a new legal arrangement that required some amendments to hold simultaneous elections, although it remained emphatic that the suggested changes were not anti-federal, violate the basic structure of the Constitution, or result in government interference. Will have a presidential form.
To hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, the panel recommended amendments to Article 83 (term of the Lok Sabha) and Article 172 (term of State Legislatures), which provide that their tenure shall be five years “unless sooner May it not be dissolved.” The President and the Governor of the State respectively.
