New Delhi: Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced a Constitutional Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha this morning to implement ‘One Nation, One Election‘ (ONOE), a proposal for simultaneous Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.

Arjun Ram Meghwal moved for the introduction of the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, popularly known as the ONOE Bill, aimed at aligning elections in J&K, Puducherry and the NCT of Delhi.

This marks a significant step in the BJP’s push for comprehensive electoral reform — a core promise since it assumed power in 2014.

“Laws can be brought in for electoral reforms… this Bill is aligned with the process of easing the electoral process, which will be synchronised. There will be no damage to the Constitution via this Bill. There will be no tampering with the basic structure of the Constitution,” Meghwal said.

“We are not tampering with the powers of the States,” he said, after which he proposed that the Bill be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for wider consultation.

However, the proposed Legislation has faced intense opposition from various parties, who have called for its immediate withdrawal, labelling it as anti-democratic and a breach of the Constitution’s basic structure.

The Bills are based on recommendations from a High-level Committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind. If passed by Parliament without amendments, the earliest simultaneous Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections could occur would be in 2034.

According to the Kovind Committee’s report, the President of India will notify an appointed date during the first sitting of the Lok Sabha following a general election. The terms of State Assemblies elected after this appointed date would be curtailed to align with the full term of the Lok Sabha.

If both Bills are passed without amendment, the appointed date as mentioned by the Kovind Committee would only be notified during the first sitting of the Lok Sabha elected in 2029.

The first sitting of the Lok Sabha elected this year has already occurred. Hence, the full term of the next Lok Sabha would extend till 2034. This implies that any State Assembly elections held after this date would have their terms adjusted to conclude alongside the term of the Lok Sabha.