One Nation, One Election bills deferred | Fusion - WeRIndia

The government has delayed the introduction of two crucial bills tied to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative in the Lok Sabha.

These bills were originally scheduled for Monday. However, they will be tabled after completing financial matters, including the passage of supplementary demands for grants.

Two bills were removed from Monday’s agenda as per a revised list issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat. These two bills are the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill.

Sources suggest the government may bring them later this week, once financial discussions are completed.

The Union Cabinet recently approved two Bills inspired by the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on One Nation, One Election, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind.

These Bills aim to synchronize elections by introducing an appointed date, aligning the tenure of all Legislative Assemblies with that of the Lok Sabha.

Once implemented, the President would declare the appointed date after the first session of the newly-elected Lok Sabha.

Any Legislative Assemblies elected after this date would have their terms adjusted to match the Lok Sabha’s duration.

Despite the current deferment, the government can still introduce these bills through the Supplementary List of Business, with approval from the Lok Sabha Speaker.

This option allows flexibility for last-minute changes to the day’s legislative priorities.

Both bills were circulated among parliamentarians last week, following standard procedural requirements.

This ensures members have time to familiarize themselves with the details before any formal discussions or debates take place.

The delay highlights the government’s strategy of prioritizing financial obligations over legislative initiatives.

Supplementary demands for grants, listed as Monday’s key agenda, take precedence before other bills are introduced.

Once tabled, these bills are expected to spark extensive debate. The bills aim to facilitate simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Hence, they could significantly impact India’s electoral framework.

The government’s move signals a cautious yet determined approach to advancing one of its most ambitious legislative proposals.

Further developments are awaited in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

Image Credit: Narendra Modi, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Source: YouTube at 0:28 min

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inside_Indian_Parliament.jpg