One Nation One Election Bill In Winter Session Of Parliament? All You Need To Know

It is speculated that the government might launch the ‘One Nation. One Election’ this winter session. If passed, the bill will see some major amendments to the election procedure. The cabinet has approved the report of the former President Ram Nath Kovind-led committee on the Bill. The government is speculated to bring three bills, as well as one amendment to the constitution. 

One Nation One Election: What Does The Government Suggest?

The Law Commission of India in its 170th Report on Reforms of the Electoral Laws observed that: “This cycle of elections every year, and in the out of season, should be put an end to. We must go back to the situation where the elections to Lok Sabha and all the Legislative Assemblies are held at once. Indeed, we cannot conceive or provide for all the situations and eventualities that may arise whether on account of the use of Article 356 (which of course has come down substantially after the decision of Supreme Court in S.R. Bommai vs Union of India) or for other reasons, yet the holding of a separate election to a Legislative Assembly should be an exception and not the rule. The rule ought to be ‘one election once in five years for Lok Sabha and all the Legislative Assemblies."

Additionally, The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice in its 79th Report on ‘Feasibility of Holding Simultaneous Election to the House of People (Lok Sabha) and State Legislative Assemblies’ submitted in December, 2015 has also examined the matter and recommended an alternative and practical method of holding simultaneous elections in two phases.

One Nation One Election: Is It A Reality?

PTI had earlier reported, as part of its 'one nation, one election' initiative, the government agreed in September to the recommendations of the high-level committee for conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies in phases. “In view of the above and in the national interest it is desirable to have simultaneous elections in the country. The Government of India hereby constituted this High-Level Committee [hereinafter referred to as ‘HLC’] to examine the issue of simultaneous elections and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections in the country.” the government of India said.

One Nation One Election: Which Law Will Be Amended?

One of the proposed bills will aim to amend Article 82A by adding a sub-clause (1) regarding the 'appointed date'. It will also propose inserting sub-clause (2) to Article 82A, which would address the simultaneous end of the terms for the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. It also proposes to amend Article 83(2) and insert new sub-clauses (3) and (4) relating to the duration and dissolution of the Lok Sabha, PTI reported. It also has provisions related to the dissolution of the legislative assemblies and amending Article 327 to insert the term “simultaneous elections”.

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