Simultaneous Election Bill

Syllabus: GS2/Polity and Governance

Context

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on ‘One Nation, One Election’ has said that simultaneous elections can save nearly 7 lakh crore rupees, improve governance efficiency and increase India’s GDP growth by up to 1.6%.

Background

To introduce simultaneous elections, the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 were introduced in Lok Sabha in 2024.

Key Features of the Bills

Bodies Responsible: The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 empowers the Election Commission to conduct elections for Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies together (referred to as simultaneous elections).
The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 extends this framework to Union Territory (UT) Assemblies.
Commencement of simultaneous elections: The terms of all State and Union Territory Assemblies constituted after the date of the notification will expire with the expiry of the full term of Lok Sabha.
Hence, elections to Lok Sabha and all State and UT Assemblies thereafter will be conducted together.
Premature dissolution of Lok Sabha or Assemblies: If Lok Sabha or a State/UT Assembly is dissolved sooner than its full term of five years, a fresh election will be held for a term equal to the remainder of the five-year term.
This will synchronise elections for Lok Sabha and all Assemblies every five years.
Deferring a state election: If the Election Commission is of the opinion that the election for a particular State Assembly cannot be held as part of the simultaneous elections, it may make a recommendation to the President in this regard.
Thereafter, the President may issue an order to conduct election for that State Assembly at a later date.
The UT Laws Amendment Bill does not have such provisions.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)@2047 Roadmap

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

In News

NITI Aayog has launched DPI@2047 for Viksit Bharat, a roadmap for India’s next phase of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) aimed at driving inclusive and productivity-led growth.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

It refers to foundational digital systems that are accessible, secure, and interoperable, supporting essential public services.
India’s Digital Public Infrastructure began with the JAM trinity—Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar identity, and mobile connectivity—which linked citizens directly to government systems.
Significance – This enabled direct transfer of welfare benefits, reducing intermediaries, delays, and leakages, and laid the foundation for India’s broader digital transformation.

Importance of DPI

Governance Efficiency: DPI Enables direct benefit transfers, subsidy delivery, and e-governance platforms, reducing leakages and corruption.
Financial Inclusion: UPI has transformed payments, now operational in 8 countries, supporting cross-border transactions.
Economic Growth: India is the world’s 3rd-largest digitalised economy, with digital platforms embedded in daily economic and social life.

Key Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and digital solutions are as follows

Aadhaar – A biometric-based digital identity platform that enables unique identification and authentication of residents for efficient service delivery.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) – A real-time digital payment system enabling instant, interoperable, and secure person-to-person and merchant transactions.
UPI is now active in 8 countries, improving cross-border payments, remittances, and financial inclusion, and strengthening India’s fintech influence globally.
CoWIN – A digital platform for end-to-end management of vaccination services, including registration, scheduling, and certification.
API Setu – A platform that enables secure and standardized sharing of government data and services through APIs.
DigiLocker – A digital document wallet that allows citizens to store, access, and share authenticated electronic documents.
Aarogya Setu – A digital health application providing risk assessment, health advisories, and access to health-related services.
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) – An online platform for transparent and efficient procurement of goods and services by government entities.
UMANG – A unified mobile and web platform providing single-window access to a wide range of government services.
DIKSHA – A national digital platform supporting teachers and learners with e-content, training, and academic resources.
e-Sanjeevani – A telemedicine platform enabling remote doctor-to-patient consultations, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
e-Hospital – A hospital management system providing online registration, appointments, diagnostics, a nd billing services.
e-Office – A digital platform for paperless governance enabling electronic file management and decision-making in government offices.
eCourts – A mission-mode project for digitising court processes and improving access to judicial services.
POSHAN Tracker – A mobile-based application for real-time monitoring of nutrition service delivery under ICDS.
National Non-Communicable Diseases Platform (NCD) – A digital platform for screening, diagnosis, and management of major non-communicable diseases.
Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) – A unified digital platform integrating skilling, training, and employment-related services.
Public Financial Management System (PFMS) – A platform for end-to-end monitoring of government funds and direct benefit transfers.
PM GatiShakti – A GIS-based digital platform for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure projects.

Anti-Defection Law

Syllabus: GS2/Polity and Governance

Context

More than two-thirds of the MPs of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Rajya Sabha have decided to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party, raising questions around the application of the anti-defection law.

Anti-defection law

Aaya Ram Gaya Ram was a phrase that became popular in Indian politics after a Haryana MLA Gaya Lal changed his party thrice within the same day in 1967.
The anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule of the Constitution) was inserted by the 52nd Amendment in 1985 to prevent political defections.
Constitutional Disqualifications [Articles 102(1) & 191(1)]: A person shall be disqualified if he/she:

Holds an office of profit under the Central or State Government;
Is of unsound mind, as declared by a competent court;
Is an undischarged insolvent;
Is not a citizen of India, or has acquired citizenship of a foreign State, or shows allegiance to a foreign State;
Is disqualified under any law made by Parliament.

Features of the Anti-Defection Law

Disqualification on ground of defection: A legislator belonging to a political party will be disqualified if he: (i) voluntarily gives up his party membership, or (ii) votes/abstains to vote in the House contrary to the direction issued by his political party.
A member is not disqualified if he has taken prior permission of his party, or if the voting or abstention is condoned by the party within 15 days.
Independent members will be disqualified if they join a political party after getting elected to the House. Nominated members will be disqualified if they join any political party six months after getting nominated.
The decision to disqualify a member from the House rests with the Chairman/Speaker of the House.

Exceptions

The Tenth Schedule originally provided for two exceptions that would not render the members liable for disqualification.
One-third members of the ‘legislature party’ split to form a separate group.
Merger of their ‘political party’ with another party that is approved by two-third members of its ‘legislature party’.
However, the first exception (one-third split) was removed in 2003 to strengthen the law.

Supreme Court Judgments

Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu (1992): The decisions of the Speaker regarding disqualification under the Tenth Schedule (Anti-defection Law) are subject to judicial review by the High Courts and the Supreme Court.
Keisham Meghachandra Singh v. Speaker, Manipur (2020): The Supreme Court set a clear outer limit of three months for the Speaker to decide on a disqualification petition.

Prevention of Insults To National Honour Act, 1971

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance

Context

The Union Cabinet gave the go-ahead to amend The Prevention of Insults To National Honour Act, 1971.

About

Aim: To make any insult or obstruction to the singing of National Song Vande Mataram a punishable offence.
At present, insults to the National Anthem, the National Flag and the Constitution of India is mentioned in the 1971 Act and is punishable by an imprisonment of up to three years or a fine or both.

Vande Mataram

Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in Sanskrit and first appeared in the novel Anandamath in 1882.
Anandamath is set against the backdrop of the 1769–73 Bengal famine and the Sanyasi Rebellion.
First sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Indian National Congress session gave it national exposure.
During the Swadeshi Movement of 1905, Vande Mataram emerged as the anthem of civil resistance.
Vande Mataram, as a political slogan, was first used on 7 August 1905.
National Song: On 24 January 1950, the Vande Mataram was adopted as India’s National Song.

Constitutional Provisions

Article 51A(a) Fundamental Duties: Mandates every citizen to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.
Absence of Explicit Constitutional Protection: Unlike the national anthem, Vande Mataram is not explicitly protected by any constitutional provision.
Its status flows from Constituent Assembly resolutions, not from enforceable constitutional text.