Context: Simultaneous Elections “One Nation, One Election”.
Relevance: GS 2 (Polity and Governance)
Cabinet Approval:
- The Union Cabinet approved two Bills to facilitate simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and Assemblies.
Bills Overview:
- One Bill proposes a constitutional amendment to enable simultaneous elections.
- The other Bill aligns the terms of Union Territories with Legislative Assemblies with State Assemblies.
Reactions:
- Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu (M.K. Stalin) and West Bengal (Mamata Banerjee) criticized the Bills, calling them attacks on democracy and federalism.
Legislative Process:
- Bills to be reviewed by a joint committee of Parliament.
- This Constitution amendment Bill does not require ratification by 50% of the States.
Committee Recommendations:
- A high-level committee suggested simultaneous polls for municipalities and panchayats, but the Cabinet decided against it.
