One Nation, One Election Bill: Union Cabinet Clears Proposal - All You Need To Know

One Nation One Election Bill proposal cleared by Union Cabinet: The Union Cabinet headed by PM Narendra Modi, on Thursday, cleared the proposal for the One Nation One Election Bill. The Bill, if cleared by both Houses of Parliament and approved by the President of India, will pave the way for holding simultaneous elections in the country.

"This should happen...Like simultaneous elections were held in Odisha... When assembly and Lok Sabha elections are not held together, development work stops...We fully support one nation one election..." Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said while speaking to reporters in Odisha.

What Is One Nation One Election Proposal?

The proposal aims to create a framework to conduct simultaneous elections across the country. The proposal was first floated when the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice presented in its 79th Report the ‘Feasibility of Holding Simultaneous Election to the House of People (Lok Sabha) and State Legislative Assemblies’. The report, submitted in December 2015 has also examined the matter and recommended an alternative and practical method of holding simultaneous elections in two phases.

The Government of India then constituted a High-Level Committee (HLC) to examine the issue of simultaneous elections and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections in the country.

“The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative,” PM Narendra Modi had said while accepting the recommendations of the HLC in September 2024.

One Nation One Election: Recommendations and the way forward

• Implement in two phases.

• In first phase: conduct Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously.

• In second phase: Conduct local body elections (panchayat and municipalities) within 100 days of general elections.

• Common electoral roll for all elections.

• Will initiate detailed discussions throughout the country.

• Constitute an implementation group.