The government is likely to bring three bills, including two to amend the Constitution, to put in place its plan to hold simultaneous elections.
The proposed Bill would seek to amend Article 82A by adding sub-clause (1) relating to the ‘appointed date’.
It will also seek to insert sub-clause (2) to Article 82A relating to the end of terms of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies together.
The Bill also proposes to amend Article 83(2) and insert new sub-clauses (3) and (4) relating to the duration and dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
It also has provisions related to the dissolution of the legislative assemblies and amending Article 327 to insert the term ‘simultaneous elections’.
The second Bill will create provisions to hold simultaneous elections to municipalities and panchayats, along with elections to Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies by inserting a new Article 324A.
This Bill is required ratification by at least 50% of the states.
The third Bill will be an ordinary one to amend provisions in three laws dealing with Union Territories with legislative assemblies — Puducherry, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir.
It aims to align the terms of these Houses with other legislative assemblies and the Lok Sabha as proposed in the first Constitutional Amendment Bill.
The statutes it proposes to amend are the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act-1991, the Government of Union Territories Act-1963 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act-2019.
To pass the Constitutional Amendment Bills, a special majority of not less than two-thirds of the House will be required.
So, the government needs the support of 362 members, but it has only 292 members in the House.