The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 is a proposed constitutional amendment bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024, by the Minister of Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal. The Bill's primary purpose is to implement the concept of "One Nation, One Election" by enabling simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies. This initiative originated from the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, and seeks to reduce election costs and minimize disruptions from frequent polls.
The Bill works by proposing the insertion of a new Article 82A into the Constitution, which mandates simultaneous elections to the House of the People and all Legislative Assemblies. It also proposes amendments to Article 83 and Article 172, which govern the duration of the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, respectively. A key mechanism is that the President may issue a notification on the date of the first sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election, called the "appointed date," to bring the provisions into force. The terms of all State Assemblies constituted after this date will expire concurrently with the full five-year term of the Lok Sabha. If the Lok Sabha or a State Assembly is dissolved prematurely, a fresh election will be held only for the remainder of the five-year term to maintain synchronization. The Bill connects to the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which extends this framework to Union Territory Assemblies by amending acts like the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963. The Bill has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for examination. The concept of simultaneous elections is not new, as they were held in India in 1951-52, 1957, 1962, and 1967.