BJP to send notice to 20 Lok Sabha MPs for not being present for voting on ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill
The BJP had issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House today.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will send notice to 20 MPs who were absent during voting on ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The BJP had issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House today. Two bill that pave way for simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections were introduced in the Lower House.
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The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Meghwal after a nearly 90-minute debate, followed by a division of votes. As many as 269 members voted in favour of the Bill and 198 against it.
Meghwal also introduced The Union Territories Amendment Bill, which seeks to align elections in the Union territories of Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir with the Lok Sabha polls. The bill has been sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed discussions.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had favoured referring the bills to a joint committee of Parliament for wider deliberations at every level.
"Detailed discussions can take place in the JPC. The report of the JPC will be approved by the Cabinet. Then again, there will be a discussion on this (bills) in the House," Shah said.
Opposition slams ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill
The opposition parties have slammed the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, calling it ‘against federalism’.
Congress member Manish Tewari opposed the introduction of the bills and termed the move an assault on the basic structure doctrine that stipulates certain features of the Constitution are beyond the amending power of Parliament.
"One of the essential features is federalism and the structure of our democracy. The bills assault the basic structure of the Constitution and exceed the legislative competence of this House," Tewari, a former Union minister, said.
The DMK's Baalu and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) member Supriya Sule favoured referring the bills to a parliamentary committee, if they could not be withdrawn, PTI reported.
"This Bill is aimed at maximising political gain and convenience. This Bill will finish off regional parties," All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi said.
(With PTI and bureau inputs)
