New Delhi, India

The Union Cabinet of India on Thursday (Dec 12) reportedly approved the 'One Nation One Election' bill, which allows simultaneous Lok Sabha and state polls. The approved bill is likely to be introduced in the ongoing winter session of the Indian parliament. The bill was one of the key promises made by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its Lok Sabha election manifesto in 2024. 

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The bill's approval comes after the Indian government accepted the recommendations of the high-level committee led by former Indian president Ram Nath Kovind in September. The committee has stressed the need to conduct simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies. 

Hailing the proposal, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections". 

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He took to X and wrote, "I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative". 

Several opposition parties in the INDIA bloc, such as Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have discouraged the move, saying that the decision would benefit the ruling party (BJP). However, major NDA allies such as JD(U) and Chirag Paswan have expressed their support for the bill. 

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According to reports, the government plans to send the legislation to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to make a broad-based consensus as the bill would come under scrutiny. 

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On Wednesday (Dec 11), Kovind further called for the need to build a consensus on the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative.

He said, “The Central government will have to build consensus. This issue is not in the interest of any party but the nation. It (One Nation, One Election) will be a game-changer--it's not my opinion but that of economists, who believe that after its implementation, the country's GDP will rise by 1-1.5 per cent". 

(With inputs from agencies)