'ONOE' bill will be presented in Lok Sabha today, BJP-Congress issued whip

One Nation One Election: The government is going to introduce a bill related to 'One Nation, One Election' in the Lok Sabha today. The purpose of this bill is to make arrangements for holding elections of Lok Sabha, state assemblies and possibly local bodies simultaneously across the country. This bill is likely to be presented in the House by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

What is 'One Nation, One Election'?

'One Nation, One Election' is the concept of such an electoral system in which elections of all the states and the Center of the country are held simultaneously. This will reduce election expenses as well as reduce the impact on administrative work due to frequent code of conduct. Along with this, this proposed bill can also contribute to the political stability of the country.

Political stir intensifies: Major parties issue whips

In view of this important bill, all the major political parties have issued whips to their MPs to ensure mandatory presence in the House.

Shiv Sena's preparation:

Shiv Sena has issued a whip for all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House on 17 December 2024. The party has planned its active participation in the discussion on this bill.

Congress strategy:

Congress has also issued a three-line whip to its MPs. Apart from this, an urgent meeting of Congress Lok Sabha MPs has been called at 10:30 am on Tuesday. This meeting will be held at the CPP office, where the party's strategy will be discussed in the context of the 'One Nation, One Election' Bill.

BJP's aggressive stance:

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House. The BJP believes that this bill can prove to be "a big step" to improve the electoral process.

Opposition's reaction to the bill

However, mixed reactions are still being seen among the opposition parties. Other parties including the Congress have demanded an in-depth discussion on this, while the BJP has called it an important step towards 'integration and transparency' of the electoral process.

Possible benefits and challenges

Benefits:

Huge reduction in election expenditure.

Administrative hurdles will be reduced due to frequent implementation of the code of conduct.

Possibilities of a permanent and effective governance.

Challenges:

Need for necessary amendments in the Constitution.

Apprehensions about the impact on the autonomy of the states.

Complexity of logistical and technical preparations for conducting simultaneous elections.

Conclusion

There is a possibility of a big debate in Parliament today regarding the 'One Nation, One Election' bill. The central government is calling it a "reformative revolution" in the country's democracy, while the opposition can highlight the practical and constitutional concerns related to it. Today is going to be a very important day from the political point of view, because the direction of this bill can determine the future electoral process of the country.