In the Lok Sabha One Nation One Election Bill was introduced after 269 members of the parliament supported it

The introduction of the bills invited critical reaction from Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Trinamool Congress members of the parliament.

The move was initiated by the Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who moved the constitutional amendment bills in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for conducting the general and assembly elections simultaneously.

Even during the introductory discussion about the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 as well as the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha, the Opposition wanted a division of votes when the minister moved the motion. A total of, 269 Members voted in support of the motion while 198 members voted against it.

The bills may be to a joint parliamentary committee for further consideration with the amendments where it deemed necessary. Check more Parliament LIVE update.

Opposition Criticism

The introduction of the bills was opposed by Congress, SP and TMC MPs that adopted an aggressive attitude towards its introduction.

Congress MP Manish Tewari expressed his concern about the bills for the simultaneous elections and said that the bills are unconstitutional.
“This I believe goes to the extent of exceeding the legislative competence of this House to introduce and consider such bills. I strongly recommend that the government withdraw them,” he said in the Lok Sabha.

SP MP Dharmendra Yadav described the bills as the BJP’s effort to bring in a “dictatorship” in the country.
I am wondering where there was so much of a concern about the Constitution two days back and now there is Constitution Amendment Bill proposing the things which go against the spirit of Constitution.. Speaking on behalf of my party and our leader Akhilesh Yadav I would like to say, the makers of the Constitution were unparalleled in their wisdom and none amongst us in this House can match them,” Yadav said, according to ANI.

The TMC’s MP in the lower house Kalyan Banerjee also opposed the bills and stated that they are not meant to advance electoral reforms, but to fulfill personal electoral strategies.
“What this proposed bill does is that it erodes the very basics of the Constitution.” When a law commits any of these actions it becomes ultra vires. As you are aware, state governments and legislative assemblies are not subordinate to the central government or Parliament,” Banerjee recounted, as quoted by ANI.

Main Features of the One Nation, One Election Bill

A copy of the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, circulated on December 13 proposes a provision for mid-term elections only in case of a dissolved legislature wherein the dissolved assembly could complete the remaining half of a five-year term.

The bill introduces provisions for Article 82(A) (General elections to the House of People and to the Houses of the Legislature of the States) and amendments in Article 83 and Article 172 & Article 327 (Parliamentary power to fix election dates for Legislatures).

The amendments are to come into force on an “appointed date” which will be announced by the President at the first meeting of the Lok Sabha after a General Election.

The bill proposes that an “appointed date” will come after the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029, while simultaneous elections will start in 2034. The Lok Sabha shall, unless sooner dissolved, continue for a period of five years from the date on which it first meets, and the duration of all the legislative assemblies to be elected after the said date shall also be for a period of five years and under no circumstances exceed five years.

Political Reactions

This includes the speaker for holding fresh general elections at the same time with other polls which is in the BJP‘s 2024 election agenda and endorsed by Mod; The opposition to same has been vehement from some political players and activists. Opponents have claimed that the initiative weakens democractic responsibility.

Recently Congress MP Jairam Ramesh asked the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill should be sent to the JPC for better examination.