The 129th Constitution Amendment Bill or the One Nation One Election bill, as it is called, may prove to be a game-changer that may alter not only the political dynamics but the entire politics of the country. It may change the polity or the political structure of India.
The Constitution Amendment Bill has provisions for holding the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously. It seeks to add and modify articles to the Indian Constitution for this purpose.
Changes To Be Made In Indian Constitution
If the One Nation One Election bill is approved, changes will have to be made to Articles 54, 55, 73, 162, 241 and 279A.
Similarly, Chapter IV of Part V, Chapter V of Part VI, or Chapter I of Part XI will have to be amended.
Also Read: ‘One Nation One Election’ Bill: What Lies Ahead For JPC, Parliamentary Approval?
The Lists in the Seventh Schedule, the representation of states in the Parliament and the provisions of Article 368 will have to be changed.
More than half of the total number of states must ratify these amendments.
Changes To Be Made In Article 82A
The 129th Constitution Amendment Bill also seeks to add Article 82A to the Constitution.
Articles 83 and 172 will have to be amended because Sub clause 2 of Article 2 of Article 82A says that the term of all legislative assemblies constituted in any general election held after the appointed date and before the expiry of the full term of the Lok Sabha shall come to an end on the expiry of the full term of the Lok Sabha.
Articles 83
According to Article 83(2), the Lok Sabha, unless sooner dissolved, has a tenure of five years from its first meeting. The expiration of the said period of five years shall operate as a dissolution of the House.
Similarly, according to Article 172, the duration of state legislative assemblies is five years from its first meeting.
Article 83 has two sub-clauses. The proposed Bill seeks to add sub-clauses (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7).
According to the proposed sub-clause (3), the five years from the date of the first meeting of the House of the People shall be referred to as the full term of the House of the People.
Sub clause 4 of Article 83 says that where the House of the People is dissolved sooner than the expiry of its full term, the period between its date of dissolution and five years from the date of the first meeting shall be referred to as its unexpired term.
Proposed sub clause 5 of Article 83 says that if the House of the People is dissolved sooner than its full term, the new House shall continue for such period as is equal to the unexpired term of the immediately preceding the House.
According to the proposed sub clause 7, the election for constituting the Lok Sabha for its unexpired term shall be referred to as a mid-term election. The election held after the expiry of the full term shall be referred to as the general election.
High-Powered Committee
A high-powered committee was formed on September 2, 2023, to examine the issue of holding simultaneous elections and make recommendations for the same. It was headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
The committee submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu on March 14, 2024. It recommended to hold the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously.
Union Law Minister tabled the 129th Constitution Amendment Bill on the floor of Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024. It is most likely to be sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee.