One country, one election law may be implemented till the next Lok Sabha elections

Parliament winter session 2024: The government is taking rapid steps to realize the goal of ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE) by 2029. According to reports, a bill in this regard can be introduced in the winter session of Parliament starting from November 25. Before introducing the bill, the government has intensified efforts to build a consensus with the opposition, especially the Congress.

Constitutional amendment is required to implement ‘One Nation, One Election’, for which the cooperation of the opposition and non-NDA parties will be necessary. According to sources, the bill has been prepared on the basis of the recommendations of the committee headed by Ram Nath Kovind. Debate on the bills will begin in Parliament, but voting is likely to be postponed until a broad consensus is reached.

Objective of ‘One Nation, One Election’
The basic objective of this idea is to save resources, better administration and improve the democratic process. Holding elections repeatedly not only increases the financial burden but also creates obstacles in governance. From ONOE Model:

Reduction in election expenses: Holding elections at the same time will result in huge savings in administrative and financial costs.
Continuity in Governance: Policy making is affected due to repeated implementation of code of conduct. This obstacle can be removed with ONOE.

Government’s intention clear
Commenting on this matter, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi Has emphasized the need for simultaneous elections every five years for the development of the country. The Kovind Panel was formed to take this idea forward. The panel’s report has been approved by the Union Cabinet, and now preparations are being made to present the related bill in Parliament.

Emphasis on the need to hold elections simultaneously
Union Minister Rijiju said that it is important to explain why simultaneous elections are necessary. In the first proposed Constitution Amendment Bill, Articles 83 and 172 related to the tenure of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies will be amended and a new Article 82A will be added. The Kovind panel says that the approval of the states is not necessary for this amendment.

Coordination of local body elections
To link local body elections with general elections, Article 325 will be amended and new Article 324A will be added. Ratification by the states will be mandatory for this amendment.

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