'One election' bill tabled in LS, to be sent to JPC

NEW DELHI: The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was formally introduced in the Lok Sabha after a division of votes.

- Agencies

The bill proposes 'One Nation One Election' or simultaneous elections to both Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bill will be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed discussions.

On Tuesday, 269 members voted in favour of the introduction of the bill and 196 voted against it. After the vote result was announced by Speaker Om Birla, Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal formally tabled the bill and expressed his agreement to sending the bill to a JPC in response to Union home minister Amit Shah's statement.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Amit Shah said, "When the One Nation, One Election Bill was taken up in the cabinet for approval, PM Modi had said that it should be sent to the JPC for detailed discussion. If the Law Minister is willing to send the bill to JPC, the discussion on its introduction can end."

Meghwal also introduced a bill to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, as per the day's schedule. These amendments aim to align assembly elections in Delhi minister is willing to send the bill to JPC, the discussion on its introduction can end," Union home minister Amit Shah said.

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla will constitute a JPC in the next few days, said people aware of developments, with members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and headed likely by a lawmaker from the government side.

Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the constitutional amendment Billwhich proposes amendments and insertion of new Articles that will allow the terms of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies to be synchronised - and the Union territories Bill, which seeks to align elections in the Union territories of Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir with the Lok Sabha polls, after nearly 90 minutes of debate.