Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will introduce The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha on December 16. The bill seeks to amend the Constitution to facilitate simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, aligning elections for Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry Assemblies as well.

Key highlights of the proposed legislation in ten points: 

1. The bill aims to synchronize Lok Sabha, state assembly, urban body, and panchayat elections across the country within 100 days. This aligns with recommendations by a high-level panel chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
2. Meghwal will also introduce a separate bill to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
3. The BJP-led NDA government has praised the proposal, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling it a significant step towards strengthening India’s democracy. The government asserts that simultaneous elections will save time, resources, and reduce the burden on the administrative machinery.
4. The ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, particularly those in the INDIA bloc.
5. Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh called the idea impractical and questioned the implications if a state government loses its majority mid-term.
6. “Elections cannot be postponed for more than six months. If a state government falls within six months, will we remain without a government for 4.5 years?” Singh asked.
7. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh demanded the bill be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for detailed scrutiny, asserting it undermines democracy.
8. Ramesh highlighted that the party had already expressed its opposition in a detailed letter sent by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to Kovind’s committee. Several parties from the INDIA bloc have opposed the bill, calling it an attack on the federal structure of governance.
9. The ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill has sparked a nationwide debate, with the ruling BJP and its allies supporting the move while opposition parties express apprehension over its practicality and potential implications.
10. In September, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal, which has been a longstanding agenda for the BJP. The bill’s introduction in Parliament follows its approval by the Union Cabinet on December 12.