New Delhi: The ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill, officially known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, will not be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The revised agenda for the Lower House does not include this Bill, despite its initial inclusion in the earlier schedule.
Originally, the Business List indicated that Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal would move for the introduction of this amendment bill, which aims to facilitate simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Another bill was slated to align elections for Assemblies in Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, and Puducherry.
Since the revised list omits these bills, it is presumed that the One Nation, One Election bill will not be introduced as planned. The current session is scheduled to close on December 20, although sources suggest that the government may still table these bills later in the week or include them in a supplementary agenda with the Speaker’s consent.
On Thursday, the Union Cabinet approved the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill), 2024, both of which were shared with MPs on Friday evening. This proposal was based on a report from a high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, which highlighted the issues caused by lengthy election periods. The committee’s findings, submitted in March, argued that simultaneous elections could lead to greater policy stability, reduce voter fatigue, and enhance electoral participation. The comprehensive 18,626-page report resulted from 191 days of discussions with various stakeholders and experts.
Following the Cabinet’s endorsement, several opposition leaders criticized the proposal, deeming it impractical and a threat to federalism, expressing concerns over the government’s intention to introduce the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill during the ongoing winter session of Parliament.
The revised agenda does include a bill concerning The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of Goa, aimed at ensuring elected representation for Scheduled Tribes in the state’s Legislative Assembly in accordance with Article 332 of the Constitution.