ONOP Bill: The government has reportedly postponed the introduction of a constitutional amendment bill aimed at facilitating simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Reports quoting two anonymous sources familiar with the matter shared this development on Sunday.
The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, initially scheduled for introduction in the Lok Sabha on Monday, are now expected later in the week, according to the reports.
Election timelines of the Union Territories
The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill seeks to synchronize the election timelines of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, and the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha will conduct debates on Monday and Tuesday to commemorate the 75th year of the Constitution.
“The first batch of supplementary demands for grants is now listed for Monday in the Lok Sabha. Given the focus on the Constitution debate, the government may have decided to push it to later in the week,” stated a BJP lawmaker.
Key Provisions of the ONOP Bill
The constitutional amendment bill includes proposed amendments and the insertion of new articles to synchronize the terms of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. According to the provisions of the bill, the implementation of simultaneous elections will not commence until 2034.
The bill outlines that if the Lok Sabha or any state assembly is dissolved before completing its full term, mid-term elections would be conducted solely for the remainder of the five-year term.
The proposed amendments include:
Adding Article 82(A) to enable simultaneous elections to the House of the People and all Legislative Assemblies.
Amending Article 83 (Duration of Houses of Parliament).
Amending Article 172 and Article 327, which pertain to the Parliament’s authority to legislate on electoral matters.
Timeline for implementation of ONOP
The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, received Union Cabinet approval on Thursday. The bill specifies that its provisions will take effect on an “appointed date” to be notified by the President. This date will coincide with the first sitting of the Lok Sabha following a general election.
As per the bill, the “appointed date” will occur after the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029, paving the way for simultaneous elections to commence by 2034.
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