Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, also known as the “one nation, one election” Bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The Bill seeks to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
He also introduced the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aimed at aligning election schedules for the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Opposition parties dubbed the draft laws — a Constitution amendment bill and an ordinary bill — as an attack on the federal structure, a charge rejected by the government.
Opposing the Bill, Congress leader Manish Tewari said that ‘One Nation, One Election’ bills are an assault on basic structure doctrine of the Constitution. Introduction, consideration of the bills are beyond legislative competence of this House, he said, urging the Union government to withdraw it.
Trinamool Congress MP from West Bengal’s Sreerampur Kalyan Banerjee, also opposing the Bill, said that this is “not for electoral reforms” but are intended to “fulfill a gentleman’s dreams and desires”.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi demanded that the bills be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), while AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi called the bills “draconian” and claimed that the bills are being brought to “massage of the ego of supreme leader”, in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule said that the bills are against federalism and are unconstitutional and opposing it she also demanded that it be sent to JPC.
The bills were introduced after the opposition sought a division of votes. After electronic voting and a subsequent count by paper slips, the bills were introduced with 269 members in favour and 198 against.
This was the first time that the electronic voting system was used in the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament House.The proceedings were later adjourned for a little over an hour till 3 PM.