- The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024. It amends the following Acts: (i) the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, (ii) the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and (iii) the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. These Acts provide for the structure and functioning of the Legislative Assemblies of Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir (UT Assemblies).
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Simultaneous election: Along with this Bill, the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 was also introduced in Lok Sabha. The Constitutional Amendment Bill empowers the Election Commission to conduct election for Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies at the same time (referred to as “simultaneous election”). The Bill extends the provision of simultaneous election to UT Assemblies.
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Commencement of simultaneous election: The Constitution Amendment Bill specifies the process for commencement of simultaneous election. To bring the provisions of the Constitutional Amendment Bill into force, the President may issue a notification on the date of the first sitting of Lok Sabha after a general election. The terms of all State Assemblies constituted after the date of the notification will expire with the expiry of the full term of Lok Sabha. The Bill makes this provision applicable to UT Assemblies.
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Election in case of premature dissolution of a UT Assembly: If a UT Assembly is dissolved sooner than its full term of five years, fresh election will be held to constitute a new Assembly, whose term will be equal to the remainder of the five-year term. Under the Constitutional Amendment Bill, the same provision applies to Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies.
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