Simultaneous elections after 2034, ONOE bill to be introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday

One Nation One Election: Taking an important step towards electoral reforms in India, the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill for 'One Nation, One Election' will be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday (December 16). The bill will be introduced in Parliament by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. Along with this, the Union Territory (Amendment 1) Bill is also planned to be introduced.

Objective and proposal of the bill

The Modi government approved this bill on December 12. The bill aims to conduct simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies after 2034. Under this, changes will be made to the Constitution along with amendments in the relevant laws of the Union Territories and Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the draft bill, amendments are proposed in four major articles of the Constitution:

Article 82A: Simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies.

Article 83: Term of both Houses of Parliament.

Article 172: Term of State Assemblies.

Article 327: Provisions related to election process and arrangements.

In addition, special provisions will also be made on Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir under the amendment in the law of Union Territories. Amendments are proposed in Section 5 of the Delhi NCT Act and Section 17 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act.

The idea of ​​​​simultaneous elections: Historical background

The concept of 'One Nation, One Election' has been discussed for a long time. To implement this, a high-level committee was constituted on 2 September 2023 under the chairmanship of former President of India Ram Nath Kovind. The objective of this committee was to prepare recommendations for holding simultaneous elections to all the Legislative Assemblies and Lok Sabha.

The Kovind Committee submitted its report to the President on 14 March 2024, in which he suggested that the elections of Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies should be held simultaneously in the first phase. After this, local body elections should be held within 100 days.

Simultaneous elections: Benefits and challenges

Benefits:

Reduction in expenditure: There will be a huge reduction in the expenditure on elections.

Administrative efficiency: The focus will be on stability and policy-making instead of repeated electoral process.

Political stability: Development work will not be affected due to repeated implementation of the code of conduct.

Challenges:

Constitutional hurdles: Coordinating the tenure of the states and the Centre will be a difficult task.

Resource management: Simultaneous elections will require human resources and technical arrangements.

Legal disputes: Disputes may arise over the rights of regional parties and states.

Way forward

The introduction of the bill in Parliament and the debate that follows will be a historic moment for Indian democracy. If implemented successfully, it will not only bring administrative reforms but will also make the electoral process more efficient and transparent.

'One Nation, One Election' has the potential to bring about a major change in the structure of Indian democracy. However, implementing it requires not just a legislative process but also broad political consensus and cooperation. Its successful implementation can completely change the electoral landscape of India.