The Union Government today tabled the One Nation One Election Bill in the Lok Sabha amid opposition from rival parties like Congress, TMC and the DMK. Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Law Minister introduced the Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha for ‘One Nation, One Election’. The BJP has issued a three-line whip to its Members of Parliament to remain present in the house.

Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that these are diversionary tactics. “These are just matters to create distraction. Things that should be discussed, people’s issues – they do not come on those issues. Neither the Government nor Congress wants to run the House…Who will get food through One Nation, One Election? Who will get jobs? Which farmer issue will be resolved? How will this benefit people?…” she said.

The Bill may be sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee to build a consensus. The Narendra Modi government has been working to build a consensus among parties for simultaneous Parliamentary and assembly elections in the country. 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also likely to give a reply to the debate on supplementary demands for grants for 2024-25.

BJP allies have also issued a whip to all its MPs to remain present in the house. The Shiv Sena has also issued a whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House on Tuesday as some “important legislative business” is scheduled to be discussed, the Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party said. “All the Lok Sabha MPs of Shiv Sena are informed that some very important issues/legislative work will be brought in the Lok Sabha for discussion and passage tomorrow, Tuesday, December 17. All the Lok Sabha members of the Shiv Sena are requested to compulsorily be present in the House for the entire time tomorrow,” Chief Whip of Shiv Sena in Lok Sabha, Shrirang Barne said.

The Congress party also issued a three-line whip to all party Lok Sabha MPs, mandating their presence in the House for today’s proceedings.

The listed agenda of Lok Sabha for Tuesday includes the Constitution Amendment Bill concerning simultaneous elections. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill will be introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal.

Meghwal is also likely to introduce a Bill on Tuesday to further to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

This bill seeks to align elections for Assemblies in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry for the purposes of simultaneous elections. The Union Cabinet approved the ‘One Nation One Election’ bill earlier this month.

While the BJP and its allies are in support of the bill, several opposition parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress and DMK are opposed to it. In September, the Union Cabinet accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. The panel was headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind.

The recommendations were outlined in a report by a high-level panel chaired by former President Kovind. The panel recommended the implementation of simultaneous polls in two phases. It recommended holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously in the first phase and conducting local body elections (panchayat and municipalities) within 100 days of general elections. It said there should be a common electoral roll for all elections. (With IANS inputs)