Latest news with #UnionTerritoriesLaws
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Himachal Pradesh govt opposes ‘one nation, one election' plan in meeting with parliamentary panel, including BJP's Anurag Thakur
1 2 3 Shimla: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Thursday said the state govt opposed the legislation on 'one nation, one election' in its meeting with a joint parliamentary committee that had come to discuss the subject. He said the Congress govt in the state instead communicated some suggestions to the committee to strengthen the democratic fabric of the country. "We suggested that a provision be made for holding byelections in a year to uphold democratic values," Sukhu told media persons after a meeting with the joint parliamentary committee on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Sukhu and his deputy chief minister, Mukesh Agnihotri, shared the views of the Himachal Pradesh govt during the discussions. BJP MP from Hamirpur constituency, Anurag Thakur , was also present in the meeting as a member of the committee. Earlier in the day, the CM welcomed the committee led by PP Choudhary with traditional Himachali caps and shawls. ] The committee members engaged in elaborate deliberations on the legislation.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India prepares for 'one nation, one election' rollout by 2034: Assemblies to have shorter terms post-2029
The Modi government is advancing its plan for implementing simultaneous national and state elections by 2034, with all state assemblies elected after 2029 expected to serve shortened terms to align with the general elections, according to a Times of India report. The groundwork is being laid through the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to enable the 'One Nation, One Election' system, the report added. According to PP Choudhary, chairman of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) overseeing the bill, state assemblies elected after 2029 — such as Uttar Pradesh's in 2032 — may serve shorter terms, potentially as brief as two years, to ensure synchronisation with the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for 2034. The bill empowers the President to issue a notification after the first sitting of the Lok Sabha following the 2029 general elections, marking the starting point for the new synchronized electoral cycle. Assemblies elected after this notification will have terms ending concurrently with the Lok Sabha's term. If either the Lok Sabha or a state assembly is dissolved early, fresh elections will be held only for the remainder of the five-year term, preserving alignment. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Vietnam (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo In states where elections are due before the 2034 target, polls will still be conducted, but only for the remaining duration needed to bring those assemblies in sync with the national election timeline. An exception clause exists: if the Election Commission determines that a simultaneous election isn't feasible in a particular state, it can recommend to the President that polls be held separately. Choudhary, a BJP MP from Pali, Rajasthan, also noted that the JPC is likely to extend its term, as there is consensus among members to visit more states and Union Territories before finalising recommendations. So far, visits have been conducted in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand to gather public and stakeholder feedback. Live Events Both the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill were introduced in Parliament in December 2024 and referred to the JPC for detailed scrutiny. The goal is to streamline the electoral process, reduce logistical burdens, and ensure more consistent governance cycles nationwide.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt targeting 2034 to hold 1st 'one nation, one election'
NEW DELHI: As the govt is expecting to hold the first countrywide simultaneous polls by 2034 after passage of the constitutional amendment bill for 'one nation, one election', all state assemblies to be elected after 2029 will be for a shorter duration to align their tenure with the 2034 general elections. Head of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on the 'one nation, one election' bill (The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024) PP Choudhary explained to TOI that after 2027, the assembly due to be elected in 2032 may have a tenure of only two years to ensure the synchronisation of the next elections in Uttar Pradesh-India's largest state electorally -with the Lok Sabha polls which may be held in 2034. The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill), 2024, have provisions for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. As per provisions of the constitution amendment bill, the President may issue a notification on the date of the first sitting of Lok Sabha after a general election, in all probability the one to be held in 2029, to spell when the next general elections will be due. The terms of all state assemblies constituted after this date will expire with the end of that Lok Sabha's five-year term. If Lok Sabha or a state assembly is dissolved earlier than its five-year term, an election for it will be held for a term equal to the remainder of the five-year term. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 전체임플란트 간단 뼈이식포함 300만원에 kimplant 더 알아보기 Undo This will synchronise its next election with the simultaneous elections cycle. Even in states, where polls will be due, elections for assemblies will be held only to align with the Lok Sabha polls. However, the bill states that if the Election Commission is of the opinion that election to a state assembly cannot be held along with the rest of the country, it may make a recommendation to the President in this regard. The President may issue an order to conduct an election for that assembly at a later date. The BJP MP from Pali in Rajasthan, Choudhary, said going by the JPC's working, its tenure may be extended as there was a consensus amongst panel members to visit states and UTs before making the final recommendations. So far, JPC members have visited Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. The bills had been introduced in LS in Dec last year and were referred to the Chaudhary-led panel which has been holding consultations with stakeholders for feedback.
The Hindu
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bill on simultaneous polls unconstitutional: A.M. Singhvi
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday (April 22, 2025) told the Parliament's joint committee on reviewing legislation on simultaneous elections that any law seeking to subordinate the State election cycle to the Centre's and artificially truncating the Parliament's tenure violated the basic structure of the Constitution, according to informed sources. He was addressing the Joint Committee on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty–Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, headed by BJP leader and Lok Sabha member P.P. Chaudhary. Rarely is a sitting parliamentarian called to depose before the committee. According to the sources, Mr. Singhvi's presentation that lasted for an hour, was followed by over 90-minute discussion. Three accounts His criticism of the Bills was broadly centred on three accounts. One, Mr. Singhvi argued, seeks to subordinate the State election cycle to the Parliamentary elections, which is a violation of the federal principle and thereby the basic structure of the Constitution. Under the model recommended by the Ramnath Kovind-chaired high-level committee, Mr. Singhvi said several States would suffer drastic curtailment of their tenures. Second, by seeking to reset the parliamentary election cycle by artificially truncating its tenure, the Bill violates the will of the people, which is the building block of any democracy. He also pointed out a key infirmity in the Bill. The sources said, Mr. Singhvi pointed out that such legislation could not be passed without ratification from more than half of State legislatures. Additionally, he said interference with the State Assembly election cycle would also indirectly impact the shape of the Rajya Sabha. Instead of the proposed legislation, Mr. Singhvi, as per sources, contended that the government should consider reducing the duration of elections which would also directly reduce the term of the Model Code of Conduct. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders have argued that governance is impacted because of extended periods of imposition of model code of conduct for the elections. In 2024, the elections were conducted in seven phases over six weeks, while in 2019 the elections were conducted in 7 phases over 7 weeks. To a specific question raised by Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on how will simultaneous elections impact the regional parties, the sources said, Mr. Singhvi quoted the Ramnath Kovind committee report, which had conceded that in majority of cases, the political party that wins at the Centre would also be better placed to win in the States.
