The government had earlier introduced the Delimitation Bill during the Budget Session in April. However, the legislation failed to pass after the ruling alliance was unable to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority required for a Constitutional amendment.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting of National Democratic Alliance ministers on Friday to formulate the parliamentary strategy ahead of the Monsoon Session. According to sources, ministers have been directed to hold consultations with various political parties regarding the proposed legislation, and specific responsibilities have been assigned to them to build political consensus.
Sources further stated that the proposed "One Nation, One Election" legislation is not currently among the government's immediate priorities, as its primary focus remains on securing sufficient parliamentary support for the Delimitation Bill.
The Centre has already initiated discussions with several political parties as part of a renewed consensus-building exercise on delimitation. According to sources, the government may introduce a revised version of the legislation incorporating an assurance of a uniform 50 percent increase in Lok Sabha seats across all states.
During the parliamentary debate in April, Opposition parties had insisted that the proposed 50 percent increase should be incorporated into the legislation itself rather than remaining a policy assurance.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Supriya Sule confirmed on Wednesday that the government had held discussions with her party and several others, including the Indian National Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, regarding the proposal for an across-the-board 50 percent increase in parliamentary seats for every state.
"Give 50 percent seat increase in writing as part of the bill, then we will discuss," Supriya Sule said, indicating that her party could consider supporting the legislation if the government formally incorporates the provision into the bill.
According to sources, the evolving political equations in Parliament have strengthened the Centre's expectations of securing the required constitutional majority.
In the 543-member Lok Sabha, a two-thirds majority requires the support of 362 members. However, with three seats currently vacant, the effective strength of the House has been reduced, bringing the required two-thirds majority down to 360 members.
When the Delimitation Bill was defeated in April, 298 members voted in favour of the legislation, while 230 voted against it.
The National Democratic Alliance currently enjoys the support of 293 Members of Parliament. According to sources, support from 20 rebel Trinamool Congress Members of Parliament and six Members of Parliament from Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has increased the ruling alliance's effective strength to 319.
Sources also stated that the Speaker is expected to approve the merger of the rebel Trinamool Congress Members of Parliament with the Nationalist Congress Party of India and the merger of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Members of Parliament with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena within the next one or two days. Following these developments, the Nationalist Congress Party of India is expected to be invited to the upcoming all-party meeting.
Despite these developments, the government remains short of the two-thirds majority required for the passage of the Constitutional amendment.
The Centre is also closely monitoring the political differences that have emerged between the Indian National Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam following the Tamil Nadu elections.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has stated that it will announce its position only after the government introduces the revised legislation. According to sources, during a meeting of party Members of Parliament, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President M.K. Stalin stated that the party would not automatically align with either the Bharatiya Janata Party or the Indian National Congress and would instead decide its position on each issue independently.
As a result, political attention is now focused on the 22 Members of Parliament belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the eight Members of Parliament from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), whose support could bring the government within striking distance of securing the two-thirds majority required to pass the Delimitation Bill and move forward with one of its most significant constitutional reform initiatives.
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