The Congress and Shiv Sena on Tuesday issued whips to their Lok Sabha MPs, mandating their presence in the House as bills enabling simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state and Union Territory assemblies are set to be tabled today.
In a three-line whip, the Congress directed all its Lok Sabha members to attend the House for “crucial proceedings.” Before the session, Congress MPs will convene at 10:30 a.m. at the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) office in Parliament to discuss the day’s agenda.
Similarly, Sena MP Shrirang Barne, the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, issued a whip stating that “some very important issue/legislative business” will be discussed and passed, as reported by news agency PTI. The Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is set to introduce the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, commonly known as the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill, in the Lok Sabha. Meghwal is expected to request Speaker Om Birla to refer the Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for broader consultations.
The joint committee will be formed on a pro-rata basis, reflecting the strength of various parties in Parliament. As the largest party, the BJP will hold the chairmanship and secure several other seats on the committee.
Last week, the Union Cabinet approved the Constitution (Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, paving the way for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state and Union Territory assemblies. The latter Bill aims to synchronize elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
The Bills were drafted based on recommendations from a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The committee, constituted by the Law Ministry on September 2, 2023, was tasked with suggesting amendments to facilitate simultaneous elections.
Out of the 47 parties that shared their views with the Kovind panel, 32 expressed support for the proposal, while 15 opposed it.
