One Nation, One Election: Bill Provisions Indicate Simultaneous Polls Delayed Until 2034

One Nation, One Election: After the Union Cabinet on Thursday (December 12) approved the “one nation, one election” Bill, the government is planning to introduce it during the current winter session with an intention to amend four Articles in the constitution.

The Narendra Modi is likely to introduce The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, which amends Articles 82, 83, 172 and 327 and The Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Parliament early next week. The Bills may be sent to a Joint Committee of Parliament for scrutiny.

In addition, one more Bill for Union Territories will also be introduced next week in parliament. The government proposes to amend Section 5 of the government of Union Territories Act and government of NCT for simultaneous elections. Similarly, Section 17 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act will also be amended.

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“Notwithstanding anything in this constitution or any law for the time being in force, and before the expiry of the full term of the House of the People, the Election Commission shall conduct general elections to the House of the People and all legislative assemblies simultaneously and the provisions of Part XV shall apply to these elections mutatis mutandis with such modifications as may, become necessary and which the Election Commission may, by order, specify,” the Bill mentions.

According to the Bill to amend the Constitution, the President will bring into force the provisions of the 'One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE) legislations on the first day of the sitting of the Lok Sabha after the next general elections, which is called the “appointed date”.

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This would mean that the first simultaneous elections can happen only in 2034, unless the Modi government decides to hold mid-term polls before completing its current five-year term. The Bills were cleared by the Union Cabinet earlier this week.

Once approved by both houses of the Parliament, the Bill will be enacted on a date decided by the Union government through a gazette notification.

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