In addition to the main bill, the law minister is expected to introduce amendments to several laws, including the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. These proposed amendments aim to align assembly elections in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry with the plan for concurrent elections.

The Union Cabinet had already approved the recommendations of a High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections in September, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The committee’s report suggested a phased approach to implementing simultaneous elections: the first phase would involve synchronizing the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, while the second phase would see local body elections (panchayats and municipal elections) held within 100 days of the general elections. The committee also recommended adopting a common electoral roll for all elections.

The bill has sparked a significant political debate. While parties in the BJP-led NDA alliance have supported the proposal, arguing that it will save time, reduce election-related costs, and streamline the electoral process, opposition parties, particularly from the INDIA bloc, have voiced strong opposition.

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh raised concerns over the practicality of the proposal. He questioned what would happen if a state government falls within a short period, such as six months after the elections. He argued that the state might be left without a government for the remainder of the term, which he deemed impractical in the current political environment. He noted that state governments have historically not completed their five-year terms, with some falling within 2.5 to 3 years.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh also expressed strong opposition, demanding that the bill be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further discussions. He argued that the bill could undermine democracy, a position previously articulated by party president Mallikarjun Kharge in a letter to the former President Ram Nath Kovind’s committee on ‘One Nation, One Election.’

On December 12, the Union Cabinet approved the bill, clearing the way for its introduction in Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the decision as a crucial step in strengthening India’s democracy. The introduction of the bill is expected to set the stage for further debates and discussions in the coming days.

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This was Misri’s first official visit to Japan in his current capacity, during which he held a series of discussions with senior Japanese officials. According to a release from the MEA, the Foreign Secretary conducted the inaugural round of the Dialogue on Economic Security, covering topics such as strategic trade, technology, and supply chain resilience.

In addition, Misri held the FS-Vice Ministerial Dialogue with Masataka Okano, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, where they reviewed the entire spectrum of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. The discussions encompassed various areas, including political relations, defence and security, economic cooperation, and people-to-people ties.

Misri also met with senior Japanese officials, including Takehiko Matsuo, Vice-Minister for International Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, to discuss economic and high technology cooperation. He further engaged with Keiichi Ichikawa, Deputy Secretary General of the National Security Secretariat and Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary, to discuss the security and economic partnership between the two countries.

The Foreign Secretary also met Yoshimichi Terada, Vice-Minister for International Affairs at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, to review cooperation on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project.

During his visit, Misri interacted with policymakers and senior officials from key Japanese ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Environment, JETRO, JICA, and JAXA, to further strengthen India-Japan relations.

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The tremor occurred at approximately 7:22 am at a depth of 65 km, with its epicenter located in the Kiphire region. The NCS shared the details on X: “EQ of M: 3.8, On: 28/11/2024 07:22:58 IST, Lat: 25.62 N, Long: 94.90 E, Depth: 65 Km, Location: Kiphire, Nagaland.”

No reports of damage or casualties have surfaced yet. Further information is awaited.

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