One Nation, One Election' Bill Approved by Cabinet, Likely to Be Tabled in Parliament Soon

One Nation One Election Bill: The Cabinet has cleared the 'One Nation, One Election' Bill. This will allow it to be presented in Parliament in the ongoing session. The bill is based on the recommendations of the committee formed in September 2023 under Ram Nath Kovind, with the aim of making Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneous.

Proposed Implementation and Key Recommendations

The Ram Nath Kovind Committee recommended a two-stage implementation:

Phase 1: Simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Phase 2: Elections for local bodies.

The passage of the bill is a reflection of the will of the government to build consensus among the stakeholders. A JPC will interact with political parties, state assembly speakers, and public opinion to build a consensus in all sections.

Historical Background and Purpose

Between 1951 and 1967, simultaneous elections were held in India. This practice was stopped as the states were reorganized, and electoral politics changed.
The BJP has added 'One Nation, One Election' to its manifesto, claiming that this would help reduce election expenditure and make governance streamlined.

Committee and Its Members

The eight-member committee was headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind and had some big names in the form of Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and legal expert Harish Salve. Other members were Gulab Nabi Azad, NK Singh, Dr. Subhash Kashyap, and Sanjay Kothari.