Indian parliament divided over electoral reform 

The Indian government has proposed adding a new article to the constitution allowing elections to the federal parliament and state assemblies to be held simultaneously every five years. The move put forward on Tuesday, involves bills and amendments to three other provisions and represents the first step in implementing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) vision of ‘One Nation, One Election’.

The opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance bloc vehemently opposes the bill, arguing that the government did not reach the necessary two-thirds majority for the initiative. However, parliamentary rules indicate that a special majority may not be needed for the introduction of constitutional amendment bills. 

Indian Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal presented two bills in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of parliament), seeking to amend several articles of the constitution to align the state and general elections, following a division vote that saw 269 members in favor and 198 against. 

The proposed amendments were recommended by a high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, which submitted its report to acting President Droupadi Murmu in March.

The committee argued that holding frequent elections each year negatively impacts the economy, polity, and society. Currently, both local and general elections are held separately in 28 states and 8 union territories. The latest Lok Sabha election in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP returned to power – though with the help of regional allies this time – was held in seven phases in a span of six weeks with over 960 million people eligible to vote. 

The opposition described the move as an attempt to centralize power and undermine federalism, calling for broader consultations. The leaders of the National Congress Party, the BJP’s main rival at the federal level, demanded the immediate withdrawal of the bills, labeling them as an assault on the constitution and an attempt to “kill democracy and bring authoritarianism and dictatorship,” the Times of India reported.

It also quoted the leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party as saying the move is aimed at “maximizing political gains to a certain party and will pave the way for a presidential form of government.” 

Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav called the bill “an assault on India’s diversity and democratic structure,” according to Business Standard. 

In response to the criticism, the law minister highlighted the goal of streamlining governance and reducing costs by decreasing the frequency of elections, saying, “One Nation, One Election will enhance efficiency in policy implementation and lessen the burden on resources.”

Home Minister Amit Shah defended the legislation on Tuesday, saying it would be referred to a joint parliamentary committee for detailed examination.