The Union Cabinet has approved bills to implement the ‘One Nation, One Election’, with draft legislations expected to be introduced during the ongoing Winter session of Parliament, sources told PTI. The decision came during a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The government is planning extensive consultations on these bills, which are likely to be referred to a parliamentary committee for review. Additionally, there are plans to engage with the Speakers of various state legislative assemblies through the proposed committee to ensure broader input.
In September, the government accepted the recommendations of a high-level committee, which suggested conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies in a phased manner.
Proposed Constitutional Amendments
Sources indicate that one of the proposed bills will seek to amend Article 82A by introducing sub-clauses related to the terms of Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. This includes provisions for setting the appointed date and aligning their dissolution timelines. Further, Article 83(2) will be amended, with new sub-clauses addressing the duration and dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
Interestingly, the draft legislation will not require ratification by 50 per cent of the states unless it concerns local body elections, which would involve matters tied to state affairs.
Additional Bill to Address Union Territories
Another key proposal involves an ordinary bill designed to amend laws concerning Union territories with legislative assemblies, such as Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir. The amendments will align these territories’ legislative terms with those of state assemblies and the Lok Sabha.
These changes would involve tweaking the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act-1991, the Government of Union Territories Act-1963, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act-2019. Importantly, this ordinary legislation will not require state ratification.
A Comprehensive Framework
The high-level committee’s recommendations include 18 amendments and new sub-clauses across three constitutional articles and three laws. This framework seeks to modernise the electoral process by implementing simultaneous elections across different levels of governance.
The committee’s report, submitted in March just before the general elections, proposed a two-phase approach for the implementation of ‘One Nation, One Election’.
Content Copyright By The Economic Times
