Claims On 'One Nation, One Election' Bills Passing In Lok Sabha Are Misleading

On December 17, 2024, Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Minister of State for Law & Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, introduced two Bills in the Lok Sabha aimed at implementing ‘One Nation, One Election’—‘The Constitution 129th Amendment Bill 2024’ and ‘The Union Territories Laws Amendment Bill 2024’. During the vote, 269 members supported introducing the Bills, while 198 opposed it.

A graphic showing this vote division is viral on social media, falsely claiming that the Lok Sabha has passed the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill.

Fact-check

The Lower House of Parliament has introduced two Bills focused on implementing ‘One Nation, One Election’ for discussion, but they have not yet been passed into law.

The two Bills introduced, ‘The Constitution 129th Amendment Bill 2024’ and ‘The Union Territories Laws Amendment Bill 2024,’ aim to implement simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. However, the Opposition INDIA bloc strongly opposed the introduction of these Bills, arguing that they violated the basic structure of the Constitution and were “anti-federal”.

The parliamentary proceedings show that the Lok Sabha voted on a motion to introduce Bills related to "One Nation, One Election." Of the total MPs present, 269 voted in favour, while 198 voted against. This means that the motion was adopted, but the Lok Sabha did not pass the actual Bill itself. Instead, they agreed to start discussions on the Bills.

A Bill goes through three readings in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha before it is sent to the President of India for approval.

The first reading of a Bill involves a motion seeking permission to introduce the Bill in the House.

The second reading involves a general discussion on the principles and provisions of the Bill followed by a clause by clause consideration of the Bill, as introduced in the House or as reported by a Select or Joint Committee.

The third reading involves discussion on the motion to pass the Bill, either in its original form or as amended.

Once both Houses of Parliament pass the Bill, it is sent to the President for approval. After the President gives assent, the Bill becomes a law.

What is ‘One Nation, One Election' ?

In September 2023, a High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, was constituted by the central government to explore the feasibility of conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. The proposed Bill aims to address issues caused by frequent elections, such as disruptions to governance and excessive use of resources.

To address this, the Bill not only proposes conducting simultaneous elections but also aims to synchronise elections for Municipalities and Panchayats with those of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, ensuring that local elections are held within 100 days of the national and state elections.