Centre calls for efficient polling, backing the ‘ONOE’ plan for streamlined elections
Voting during 8th phase of Parliamentary election...epa04194527 Indian women show their voting slips as they wait to cast their votes at a polling station during the 8th phase of Parliamentary election at Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India, 07 May 2014. Parliamentary elections in India are being held in nine phases between 07 April and 12 May 2014. A total of 814.6 million people are eligible to vote, around 100 million more than in the elections in 2009. EPA/SANJAY BAID
The government is set to table a Constitutional amendment bill in the Lok Sabha today to push for ‘One Nation, One Election.’ This proposal aims to synchronize the elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is expected to introduce the bill, which will then be sent to a parliamentary committee for further consultation.
The government argues that frequent and fragmented elections have sparked the need for a more efficient system. This has led to the growing interest in holding elections simultaneously across the nation.
Following the introduction, the bill will likely be referred to a joint committee, with the BJP leading the panel due to its position as the largest party in the House. The committee will have a 90-day term, which may be extended.
The Union Cabinet cleared two bills last week to amend the Constitution and facilitate the ‘One Nation, One Election’ plan. The amendments, recommended by a panel led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, propose linking the terms of state Assemblies with the Lok Sabha.
This would mean that state Assemblies elected after 2029 will dissolve with the Lok Sabha’s tenure, ensuring elections occur together. Additionally, three union territories—Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir—will align their Assembly elections with the Lok Sabha cycle.
These changes are unlikely to take effect before the 2034 elections. The bill specifies that provisions will only be enforced after a date is announced, following a new Lok Sabha session. If an Assembly is dissolved early, mid-term elections will be held to complete its term.
While the government believes the changes will transform governance and prevent policy paralysis caused by frequent elections, opposition parties have strongly criticized the plan.
Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and the Congress argue that the proposal undermines India’s democracy and federal structure. They oppose what they see as an authoritarian move that centralizes power.
