The BJP-led government is moving forward with its “one nation, one election” initiative, having accepted recommendations from a high-level panel to conduct simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies in a phased manner. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the Union Cabinet’s approval on Wednesday, stating that an implementation group will be formed to carry the recommendations forward, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
Vaishnaw explained that the simultaneous elections will occur in two phases: the first phase will align Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, while the second phase, set to take place within 100 days of the first, will cover local body elections. However, various opposition parties have criticised the plan as impractical.
The successful implementation of this project relies on the passage of two Constitution Amendment Bills in Parliament, which will require broad consensus across political parties. Since the BJP does not hold a majority in the Lok Sabha, it must engage with its NDA allies and opposition parties to secure support.
To facilitate this, the government may refer the proposed amendments to a parliamentary committee, allowing for discussion among opposition members. Additionally, to include local bodies in the simultaneous elections, at least half of the states must ratify the necessary constitutional amendments.
Currently, the NDA coalition holds 293 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha and 119 in the 245-member Rajya Sabha. For the amendments to pass, they will need a simple majority in the Lok Sabha and a two-thirds majority in both houses. The opposition INDIA bloc controls 234 Lok Sabha seats, while the NDA holds 113 in the Rajya Sabha.
The first Constitution Amendment Bill will require a “special majority” under Article 368 of the Constitution, which mandates that half of the total membership in both houses must support the amendment, with two-thirds of those present also voting in favour.
The second amendment will ensure local body elections occur within 100 days of the simultaneous elections, but it will require ratification from state legislatures due to local government being a state subject.
If both Bills pass, the President will issue a notification during the first sitting of the Lok Sabha following a general election, triggering the transition to simultaneous elections. This may lead to the early dissolution of some state assemblies, aligning their terms with the Lok Sabha elections.
For example, the election to the Bihar Assembly is expected to be held in October or November 2025. However, if simultaneous elections are implemented, the new Assembly will dissolve in 2029 — before the Lok Sabha election scheduled in that year — and not in 2030 as it normally would.
The Election Commission of India will prepare a single electoral roll for all constituencies, a process that also requires state ratification, the Kovind Committee has said.
(With inputs from The Indian Express, PTI)