Bill on simultaneous polls: Congress issues whip mandating presence of MPs in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: The Congress has issued a whip to its Lok Sabha MPs, mandating their presence in the House, with the constitutional amendment bill for holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously listed for introduction in the Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday.

Sources said a three-line whip has been issued to Congress Lok Sabha MPs, mandating their presence in the House for Tuesday's "crucial proceedings", sources said.

The party's Lok Sabha MPs will also hold a meeting at 10:30 am to discuss Tuesday's business in the House at the Congress Parliamentary Party office in Parliament, they said.

The constitutional amendment bill for holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously has been listed for introduction in the Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday and could be referred to a joint committee of the two Houses.

The Lok Sabha agenda said the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, popularly being referred to as the Bill on "one nation, one election", will be introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

After its introduction, Meghwal will request Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to refer the Bill to a Joint Committee of Parliament for wider consultations.

The minister will also introduce the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to align the elections of the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry and the NCT of Delhi.

The joint panel will be constituted on a pro-rata basis, based on the strength of MPs of various parties. As the largest party, the BJP will get the chairmanship of the committee, besides several members, a functionary said on Monday.

Last week, the Union Cabinet decided to hold simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies but opted to leave "as of now" how local body polls will be held. The cabinet has approved the two bills to hold the parliamentary and assembly polls concurrently.