Polity & GovernancePriority2024-12-17

Introduction of One Nation One Election Bill

Why focus: 129th Amendment Bill adding Article 82A — Iron Law 4 auto-include. Tests GS2 Polity on simultaneous elections and Article 327 bounds.

In News

What Happened

On December 17, 2024, the Union government introduced the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha to facilitate 'One Nation, One Election'. The Bill proposes synchronizing the electoral cycles of the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies. Following opposition protests, the Bill was referred to a 39-member Joint Parliamentary Committee chaired by P.P. Chaudhary for further scrutiny.

Why It Matters

This represents one of the most significant structural overhauls of India's electoral democracy since independence. By aligning election cycles, the government aims to reduce the massive financial burden of perpetual campaigning, minimize governance disruptions caused by the frequent imposition of the Model Code of Conduct, and ensure policy stability, though critics argue it undermines federalism and regional political dynamics.

Background

History & Context

Simultaneous elections were the historical norm in India, successfully held in 1951-52, 1957, 1962, and 1967, but the cycle was broken by the premature dissolution of some state assemblies in 1968 and 1969. Over the years, the Law Commission advocated for a return to this system, notably in its 170th Report (1999) and a draft report in 2018. In September 2023, the government formed a High-Level Committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind to examine the feasibility of the concept. The Kovind Committee submitted its report in early 2024, recommending a phased transition: first synchronizing the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, followed by local bodies within 100 days. The Union Cabinet accepted these recommendations on September 18, 2024, culminating in the drafting and introduction of the 129th Amendment Bill in the Winter Session.

What Changed

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Insertion of Article 82A: A completely new article is added to empower the President of India to notify an 'appointed date' (the date of the first sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election) from which all subsequent state assembly terms will align with the Lok Sabha.
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Amendment to Article 83 (Duration of Houses of Parliament): Introduces the concept of an 'unexpired term'. Previously, a newly elected Lok Sabha served a full 5-year term. Now, if the Lok Sabha is dissolved prematurely, the newly elected House will only serve the remainder of the original 5-year term.
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Amendment to Article 172 (Duration of State Legislatures): Applies the same 'unexpired term' mechanism to State Legislative Assemblies. If an assembly falls mid-term, the newly elected government will only govern until the end of the concurrent Lok Sabha's tenure.
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Amendment to Article 327: Expands the Parliament's legislative competence over elections. The words 'conduct of simultaneous elections' are explicitly inserted, giving Parliament the constitutional authority to mandate synchronized polls.
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ECI Powers regarding deferment: Under the new Article 82A, if the Election Commission of India (ECI) cannot hold a specific state assembly election simultaneously, it can recommend deferment to the President. However, the delayed assembly's term will still artificially end with the Lok Sabha's 5-year cycle.

What Did NOT Change

Local body elections (Panchayats and Municipalities) were completely excluded from the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024. The Kovind Committee's 'Phase 2' recommendation for a single electoral roll (amending Article 325) and synchronized local elections requires a separate constitutional mechanism. Furthermore, the synchronization for Union Territories (like Delhi and Puducherry) was kept out of this specific bill and addressed through a separate parallel legislation, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Prelims Angle

NCERT Connection

This event directly links to Class 11 Political Science (Indian Constitution at Work), Chapter 3 'Election and Representation' and Chapter 7 'Federalism'. It demonstrates the practical tension between national electoral efficiency and the autonomy of state governments. It also serves as a live case study for Chapter 9 'Constitution as a Living Document', as altering the tenure of state assemblies and amending Article 327 requires a rigorous Article 368 special majority plus ratification by at least half the states.

Common Misconceptions

✗ If a state government falls and fresh elections are held, the new Chief Minister will get a full 5-year term.

✓ Under the amended Article 172, the new state assembly will only serve the 'unexpired term' of the previous assembly to ensure the state goes to polls again alongside the next Lok Sabha.

Because under the current unamended constitutional framework, every newly elected assembly always gets a fresh 5-year mandate regardless of when the previous one dissolved.

✗ The Election Commission of India will independently declare the starting date for simultaneous elections.

✓ The power to notify the 'appointed date' that triggers the synchronization process is explicitly vested in the President of India under the proposed Article 82A, not the Election Commission.

The ECI generally announces election schedules and enforces the Model Code of Conduct, leading to the assumption that they control the constitutional rollout of this reform.

Practice Questions

Q1

How Many Correct

Consider the following statements regarding the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024: 1. It proposes to insert Article 82A to empower the Election Commission of India to notify the 'appointed date' for simultaneous elections. 2. It amends Article 327 to explicitly include the 'conduct of simultaneous elections' within Parliament's legislative domain. 3. It mandates that any State Assembly constituted after a premature dissolution will serve only the 'unexpired term' of the previous assembly. How many of the above statements are correct?

Q2

Match the Following

Match the proposed constitutional changes in the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 (List I) with their specific provisions (List II): List I: A. Article 82A B. Amendment to Article 83 C. Amendment to Article 172 D. Amendment to Article 327 List II: 1. Curtails the tenure of mid-term State Legislative Assemblies to the unexpired term. 2. Empowers Parliament to make laws specifically for the conduct of simultaneous elections. 3. Establishes the 'appointed date' for synchronization and deferment powers. 4. Restricts mid-term Lok Sabhas to serving only the remainder of the 5-year cycle.

Q3

Assertion & Reason

Assertion (A): The passage of the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 requires ratification by the legislatures of not less than one-half of the States. Reason (R): The Bill amends provisions relating to the duration of State Legislatures and Parliament's power over state elections, thereby altering the federal structure of the Constitution.

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