The BJP on Thursday (Dec 12) issued three line whip to all its MPs of Lok Sabha to be present in the House on Dec 13th and 14th as some important legislative business to be discussed in both Houses.
It was earlier indicated that a debate on 75 years of adoption of Indian Constitution will take place on Dec 13 and 14.
The Union Cabinet in September 2024 approved the implementation of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ to conduct simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies in a phased approach.
But sources do not rule out the Modi government pushing its much talked about One Nation, One Election Bill.
Since coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been advocating for the plan to hold elections to Lok Sabha, all state Legislative Assemblies, and urban and rural local bodies (municipalities and panchayats) simultaneously.
The former President Ram Nath Kovind-led committee had recommended 18 constitutional amendments for One Nation One Election to become a reality.
There is also speculation about a possible legislative business related to the Uniform Civil Code.
The One Nation One Election bill, which will pave the way for simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, is likely to be introduced in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.
Holding simultaneous polls was one of the key promises made by the BJP in its Lok Sabha poll manifesto.
The development comes weeks after the government accepted the recommendations of the high-level committee, which was headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind. The panel has suggested holding simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies in a phased manner.
Aware that the bill would come under scrutiny, the government will probably agree to send the legislation to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to build a broad-based consensus.
Moreover, the views of the Speakers of all state assemblies will be taken apart from intellectuals, experts, and members of civil society.
BJP Sources said inputs from the public will also be sought.
The Kovind-led panel, in its 18,626-page report, has suggested implementing the move in two stages. It has suggested simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step.
The next step involves synchronising elections to local bodies and municipalities with polls to Lok Sabha and states.
This will be done in such a way that the local body elections are held within 100 days of the Lok Sabha polls. This will, however, require approval by not less than one-half of the states.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reply on Constitution debate in Lok Sabha on December 14.
Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to initiate the debate in the Rajya Sabha.
BJP chief JP Nadda and Defence minister Rajnath Singh are also expected to participate in the debate in their Houses.
Union health minister Nadda is the leader of House in the Rajya Sabha, while Rajnath Singh is ruling BJP's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha.
By deploying the entire top brass for the debate, the BJP is keen that the Parliament functions and takes on the opposition on key issues vis-a-vis Indian Constitution.
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