The Modi government has been talking about “One Nation, One Election” for many years and has now started preparing for its implementation. It is reported that the bill on “One Nation, One Election” can only be introduced during the third term of the Modi government. If this happens, then state assembly elections can also be held across the country in 2029 along with the Lok Sabha.
The information was released as the third term of the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed 100 days. Modi was sworn in as prime minister for the third time on June 9, five days after the Lok Sabha election results were announced on June 4.
“One nation, one election” is one of the priorities of the Modi government. The BJP has also mentioned this in its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and promised to work hard to implement the committee’s recommendations.
On August 15 this year, Prime Minister Modi appealed to everyone to come forward and support One Nation One Election from the ramparts of the Red Fort. At that time, Prime Minister Modi had said, “Frequent elections in the country are hampering the progress of the country and creating deadlock.” Today, it has become easy to link any plan with elections because every three months, six months, elections are held somewhere.
Now sources say that the NDA government wants to bring a bill to this effect during its term. The government hopes that the bill will not only receive support from its allies but also from other political parties.
But how will this all happen?
If the government wants to hold elections simultaneously across the country, it must first make constitutional amendments. Last year, the government said in Parliament that five amendments to the constitution were necessary to hold elections to the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assembly simultaneously.
Article 83: The term of office of the Lok Sabha is therefore five years. Article 83(2) provides that the term can be extended only for one year at a time.
– Article 85: The President has the power to dissolve the House of the People early.
——Article 172: In this article, the term of the Assembly is fixed at five years. However, under Article 83(2), the term of the Assembly can be extended for one year.
– Article 174: Just as the President has the power to dissolve the Lok Sabha, similarly, Article 174 gives the Governor General the power to dissolve Parliament.
– Article 356: It provides for the President’s rule in a state. President’s rule can be imposed in a state on the advice of the Governor General.
Will this happen?
Article 368 of the Constitution empowers Parliament to make constitutional amendments without prejudice to the basic structure of the Constitution. This means that the basic structure of the Constitution cannot be changed by Parliament.
The Constitution allows the government to make changes. But a bill must be introduced for this amendment. It is necessary to pass this bill in both houses of Parliament – the House of Representatives and the Rajya Sabha.
Not only that, even if the bill is passed by both the House and the Senate, it still needs approval from the legislative assemblies of at least 15 states.
What support will be provided?
If the government proposes a “one country, one election” bill, it will need the support of political parties to pass it.
Apart from the BJP, Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP, Nitish Kumar-led JDU and Chirag Paswan-led LJP(R) are also major parties in the NDA government at the Centre. JDU and LJP(R) have prepared for the one-nation-one-election, while TDP has not given any reply to the same.
The committee, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, has contacted 62 political parties. Of these, 32 supported one nation, one election. However, 15 parties were against it. Fifteen parties did not respond.
The JDU and LJP(R) had supported one state one election and said it would save time and money. TDP did not give any reply. However, in 2018, TDP argued before the Law Commission that it could harm the basic structure of the Constitution.
While 15 political parties including Congress, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party, CPM and PSS opposed it. While 15 political parties including Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, TDP and Indian Muslim League did not give any reply.
What’s the next step now?
For a country, an election, the government must first propose a bill. Since these bills will amend the constitution, they can only be passed with the support of two-thirds of the members of parliament.
That is to say, to pass this bill in the House of Representatives, the support of at least 362 members and 163 members of the Federal Council is required.
After the bill is passed by Parliament, it will also need the approval of at least 15 state legislative assemblies. This means that the bill will also need to be passed by 15 state legislative assemblies. After that, these bills will become laws only after the president signs them.
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