Union Cabinet approves 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, Bill likely in winter session

The Union Cabinet has approved the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal. The Cabinet accepted the report of a panel led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The panel had submitted the report in March 2024 ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. The report of the high-level committee on 'one nation, one election' was placed before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday.

The high-level committee had recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days. The panel had also proposed setting up of an 'Implementation Group' to look into the execution of the recommendations made by the committee.

The panel also recommended the preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in consultation with state election authorities. At present, the ECI is responsible for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, while the local body polls for municipalities and panchayats are managed by state election commissions.

The panel recommended as many as 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by state Assemblies. However, these would require certain Constitution amendment Bills that would need to be passed by Parliament.

Some proposed changes regarding the single electoral roll and single voter ID card would need ratification by at least half of the states. Separately, the Law Commission is also likely to come up soon with its own report on simultaneous polls, of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a strong votary.

Sources said that the Law Commission is likely to recommend holding simultaneous polls for all three tiers of the government -- the Lok Sabha, state Assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats -- starting with 2029 and a provision for unity government in cases like hung house.

(With inputs from PTI)

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