One Nation, One Election: Nitin Gadkari, Jyotiraditya Scindia Among 20 BJP MPs Absent During Bill Introduction; Party Likely to Issue Notice

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to issue notices to its Lok Sabha members who were absent during the introduction of bills related to the 'One Nation, One Election' plan on Tuesday. Prominent absentees include Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and Giriraj Singh.

Sources revealed that Shantanu Thakur, Jagdambika Pal, BY Raghavendra, Vijay Baghel, Udayraje Bhonsale, Jagannath Sarkar, Jayant Kumar Roy, V Somanna, and Chintamani Maharaj were also absent from the House. It remains unclear whether these members had informed the party about their absence due to prior commitments or other reasons.

The BJP had issued a three-line whip to ensure the presence of its MPs, emphasizing the importance of the legislative agenda. Despite opposition from several members, the bills were introduced after a division in which 269 members voted in favor and 196 opposed. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha. These bills aim to implement simultaneous elections for both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.