A total of 20 BJP MPs, including senior leaders like Nitin Gadkari, Giriraj Singh, and Jyotiraditya Scindia are set to face the music for their absence in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday during the introduction of the One Nation, One Election Bill, as per sources. The party had issued a three-line whip mandating all MPs to be present in the House for the session. However, the absence of these lawmakers has raised eyebrows, prompting the BJP to reportedly prepare notices to hold them accountable for defying party orders.The Bill, central to the government’s push for simultaneous elections across the country, was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal amidst heated exchanges.
The opposition criticised the move as “dictatorial” and an attack on India’s federal structure. Despite the backlash, the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill passed its introductory phase with 269 votes in favour and 198 against after a 90-minute debate and a division of votes.Meghwal, addressing concerns raised during the debate, assured the House that the legislation would not interfere with the autonomy or powers of the states.
Additionally, the Union Territories Amendment Bill, aimed at aligning elections in Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir with Lok Sabha polls, was also introduced.
Meghwal dismissed opposition claims that the Bill violated the basic structure doctrine, asserting that the legislation adhered to constitutional principles.
While the introduction of the Constitution amendment Bill requires a simple majority, its passage will require the government to garner a two-thirds majority in the House.
