One Nation One Election: The Modi Cabinet has approved the One Nation, One Election proposal on September 18, 2024. This paves the way for simultaneous elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats and 4,130 state assembly seats across India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded positively to the approval, marking a significant political shift. The committee, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, recommended starting with simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies, followed by local body elections within 100 days. The central government plans to introduce the bill in the winter session of Parliament, hoping to gain support from its allies.
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Why One Nation One Election? PM Modi Unveils Cabinet’s Secret
There is no political motive: PM Modi
Referring to One Country One Election in the cabinet meeting, PM Modi said, “This has been a long pending demand of the people and we have brought it keeping in mind the interest of the people. There is no political motive behind it.” The PM said, “The important aspect will be to educate the people of the country about the navigational features of ONOP. We have only respected what the people of the country have been wanting for a very long time. With frequent elections, governance and most importantly law and order take a backseat and this is not good for any country.”
‘India’s democracy will become stronger’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter that the Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the high-level committee on holding simultaneous elections. “I commend our former President Ram Nath Kovind for spearheading this effort and consulting various stakeholders and stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participatory,” he said.
PM Modi has repeatedly stressed that this country needs One Nation One Election and this cannot be debated. The central government will get the One Nation One Election Bill passed by the Parliament in the winter session, after which it will become a law.
If One Nation One Election starts in 2029, 17 states face sub-3-year terms—why are half a dozen states unaffected?
These states will be affected
Simultaneous Elections in 2029: If Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections are held together, many state assemblies will need early dissolution.
Assemblies Terminated Early: Vidhan Sabhas formed in 2023, with terms until 2028, will be dissolved in 2029, resulting in only a one-year term.
Affected States: Ten states with assemblies formed in 2023 include Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, and Mizoram.
Assemblies with Shorter Terms: States where elections are scheduled for 2027 will face a two-year term under the new system. These states include Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Gujarat.
Three-Year Terms: States with elections planned for 2026, such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Kerala, will have terms of three years or less.
Four-Year Terms: Bihar and Delhi, where elections are set for next year, will have terms of up to four years before the switch to simultaneous elections.
There will be no significant impact on these states
States Unaffected by Policy: About half a dozen states will see minimal impact from the One Nation-One Election policy.
Simultaneous Elections Held: Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh have held both Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously.
Upcoming Assembly Elections: Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to hold assembly elections soon.
Elections by November: Maharashtra and Jharkhand are set to conduct assembly elections by November this year.
Minimal Impact: The tenure of governments in these states will be affected by a maximum of six months due to the policy change.
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