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The Union Cabinet has approved the ‘one nation, one election’ proposal to synchronise Lok Sabha, state assembly, and local body elections, with plans to introduce a bill in Parliament.
Polling officials carry EVMs at a counting center in Ghaziabad (Photo: PTI)
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved ‘one nation, one election’, sources said. The government is likely to bring a comprehensive bill on the same during the next week, amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a three-line whip to all its MPs, asking them to be present in the House on December 13 and 14 for discussions on some important legislative business, sources said.
On Wednesday, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made a strong pitch for ‘one nation, one election’, and contended that frequent polls were creating hurdles in the nation’s progress.
Addressing an event in Kurukshetra as part of the ongoing International Gita festival, Chouhan said the country is moving ahead rapidly under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A glorious, prosperous and powerful India is being built under the leadership of the prime minister. Soon, India will become the “Vishwa Guru” (world leader) in front of our eyes. There is no doubt about it, and the whole world knows it, he said.
“But there is one hurdle in India’s progress and development, which is frequent elections. Any other thing may be happening or not in the country, but election preparations continue for twelve months all five years,” he said.
“When Lok Sabha elections get over, Assembly elections come. Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Jharkhand are done, now Delhi assembly polls are coming,” Chouhan said.
Moving ahead with its ‘one nation, one election’ plan, the government in September accepted the recommendations of the high-level committee for holding simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies in a phased manner.
On December 9, IANS quoted sources and said the Narendra Modi government is moving forward with its ‘one nation, one election’ initiative and is preparing to introduce a bill in the Parliament during the current session.
The Cabinet has already approved the Ram Nath Kovind Committee’s report on the proposal, which advocates simultaneous elections across the country.
