The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet has approved the 'One Nation, One Election' bill, which will be introduced in Parliament during the ongoing winter session of Parliament.
The bill paves the way for uniform elections across the country. According to sources, the government will eventually refer the bill to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further examination.
The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had in September this year approved the implementation of the 'One Nation, One Election' to hold simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies in a phased approach.
The high-level panel headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted the report in March, before the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. Submitting the report to the cabinet was part of the 110-day agenda of the Ministry of Justice.
Game changer, says Kovind
The panel recommended simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as a first step, followed by synchronized local body polls within 100 days. The panel also recommended conducting two-phase polls in India.
Earlier this week, Kovind said the Union government should build consensus on the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, stressing that the issue transcends political interests and serves the nation as a whole. Kovind, who chaired the committee on the issue, told the media that the central government will have to build consensus.
“This issue is not in the interest of any party except the nation. It (One Nation, One Election) will be a game changer. It is not my opinion, but that of economists, who believe that the country's GDP will increase by 1 to 1.5 percent after its implementation,” Kovind said.
The Kovind panel has recommended amending the last five articles of the constitution to hold simultaneous elections in the country. This includes changes to Article 83, which governs the term of the Lok Sabha, and Article 172, which governs the tenure of state assemblies.
The winter session of Parliament started on Monday, November 25 and will run until December 20.
