The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, were formally introduced in the Lok Sabha after a vote on their introduction.
The bills propose implementing 'One Nation, One Election,' or simultaneous elections for both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bills have been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further deliberation. While the opposition INDIA bloc opposed the move, NDA allies TDP and Shiv Sena extended their support.
On Tuesday, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha announced the results of the vote, which saw 269 members voting in favour (Ayes) and 196 members voting against (Noes). The vote followed Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal's formal introduction of the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and his agreement to send it to a JPC in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement.
Amit Shah, speaking in the Lok Sabha, 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."
Law Minister Meghwal also introduced a separate 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. These amendments seek to align assembly elections in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry with the proposed simultaneous elections.
Congress MP Manish Tewari strongly opposed the Bill, stating, "Beyond the seventh schedule of the Constitution is the basic structure doctrine, which spells out that there are certain features of the Constitution beyond the amending power of the House. The essential features are federalism and the structure of our democracy. Therefore, the bills moved by the Minister of Law and Justice are an absolute assault on the basic structure of the Constitution and are beyond the legislative competence of the House."
DMK MP TR Baalu also voiced his opposition, saying, "I oppose the 129th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2024. As my leader M.K. Stalin has said, it is anti-federal. The electors have the right to elect the government for five years, and this right cannot be curtailed with simultaneous elections."
Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav echoed similar sentiments, saying, "I am standing to oppose the 129th Amendment Act of the Constitution. I cannot understand how, just two days ago, no stone was left unturned to uphold the glorious tradition of saving the Constitution. Within two days, this Constitution Amendment Bill has been brought to undermine the basic spirit and structure of the Constitution. I agree with Manish Tewari, and on behalf of my party and my leader Akhilesh Yadav, I have no hesitation in saying that there was no one more learned than the makers of our Constitution at that time. Even in this House, there is no one more learned. I have no hesitation in saying this."
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee criticized the bill, saying, "This proposed bill hits the basic structure of the Constitution itself, and if any bill affects the basic structure of the Constitution, it is ultra vires. We must remember that the state government and the state legislative assembly are not subordinate to the central government or to Parliament. This Parliament has the power to legislate law under the Seventh Schedule, List One and List Three. Similarly, the state assembly has the power to legislate law under the Seventh Schedule, List Two and also List Three. Therefore, by this process, the autonomy of the state legislative assembly is being taken away."
The introduction of the bills has sparked a heated debate, with clear divisions emerging between the ruling NDA allies and opposition INDIA bloc members over its implications on federalism and the Constitution’s structure.