NEW DELHI — Four days after approval by the Union Cabinet, the Bills to enable simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha as well as state and Union Territory assemblies will be introduced in the Lower House on Monday. The Bills will be introduced by Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal.
The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ reform on Thursday. Meghwal will be presenting two Bills in the Lok Sabha – the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill as well as the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill.
According to the Centre, this legislation will not only streamline the electoral process, but will also foster greater efficiency, and reduce the financial and administrative burden associated with conducting multiple elections at different times.
The High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind had recommended holding concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.
However, critics have argued that implementing synchronised elections could pose logistical and constitutional challenges.
The AAP, the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress among others have raised concerns about the impact of simultaneous polls on regional autonomy and fairness.
“This is a controversial issue. Ours is a federal structure in which it is not possible to implement the ‘One Nation, One Election’ system. The Opposition has not been taken into confidence on the issue. All stakeholders must be taken into confidence before taking such a big decision,” a Congress leader told IANS.
Opposition leaders highlight potential difficulties in dissolving Assemblies mid-way or addressing situations where a state or the Union government falls before completing its tenure.
Proponents of the Bill on the other hand argue that it will usher in a new era of stability and continuity in policymaking, as governments will no longer have to operate in a perpetual election mode.
NDA partners including JD-U and the LJP have voiced strong support for the Bills highlighting the potential to reduce costs and ensure policy continuity.
The government has clarified that the two proposed legislations provide for “mid-term” polls for Parliament or a state Assembly in case a government falls but it will only be for the “unexpired” portion of the five-year fixed term. –IANS
