The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill, with plans to present the legislation during the ongoing Winter session of Parliament, sources told HT. The bill is expected to be sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further review.
The bill to enable simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections remains a key priority for the government. In September, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal based on a report from a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the initiative, stating, “The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections.” He also commended Kovind for leading the effort and consulting a broad range of stakeholders. Modi emphasized that this move is a significant step toward making India’s democracy more vibrant and participatory. The committee’s recommendations include holding concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first phase, followed by synchronized local body elections within 100 days.
Former President Ram Nath Kovind emphasized that the central government must build a broad consensus on the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, stressing that the issue serves the nation’s interest, not any particular party. He noted that economists believe the implementation of simultaneous elections could boost the country’s GDP by 1-1.5 percent. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also expressed support for the move, highlighting the inefficiencies of frequent elections. He pointed out that these elections waste valuable time and public resources, with development work coming to a halt. Chouhan shared his personal experience, noting that as an agriculture minister, he spent three months campaigning during elections, which disrupted the work of government officials and ministers.
