‘One Nation, One Election’ bill to be tabled in Parliament today
The BJP-led central government will table the contentious ‘One Nation One Election’ Bill in Lok Sabha today, December 17, a government statement said.
The government has announced that Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is set to introduce two significant bills in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
These include the ONOP Bill, officially titled The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill.
After the introduction of the bill, one of the BJP’s long-standing poll promises, in Parliament, Meghwal is likely to request Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to refer it to a Joint Committee of Parliament for wider consultations.
The joint panel will be formed on a pro rata basis, reflecting the proportional strength of MPs from various political parties. According to a party official, the BJP, being the largest party, will hold the chairmanship of the committee and secure multiple member positions.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will announce the committee’s composition by Tuesday evening.
Several Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin have opposed the idea of simultaneous polls in the country, calling the bill “anti-democratic” and an authoritarian move designed to “undermine India’s democracy”.