The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 is a legislative Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha, not an enacted Act, that proposes to amend the Constitution of India to implement Simultaneous Elections, also known as One Nation, One Election (ONOE). The Bill was introduced by Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on December 17, 2024, and was subsequently referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee on December 19, 2024. The concept aims to synchronise elections for the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies, a practice that was in place until 1967 but was disrupted by premature dissolutions in 1968 and 1969. The stated purpose is to reduce election expenditure, minimise the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct, and ensure the smooth flow of development work.
The Bill's key mechanism empowers the Election Commission to conduct elections for the Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies together. The President is authorised to issue a notification to commence simultaneous elections after a general election. A crucial provision addresses premature dissolution: if the Lok Sabha or a State Assembly is dissolved before its full five-year term, a fresh election will be held only for the remainder of the five-year term to maintain the synchronisation schedule. This mechanism ensures that all elections align every five years. The framework is extended to Union Territory Assemblies through the related Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The Bill is connected to the High-Level Committee Report on Simultaneous Elections in India from March 2024.