The Union Cabinet's approval of the 'One Nation, One Election' bill on Thursday has sparked a heated debate among political leaders, with sharp divisions emerging between the ruling BJP-led NDA alliance and the opposition INDIA bloc. While proponents argue it will streamline elections nationwide, critics have raised concerns over its practicality and impact on regional politics.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, said that a transparent and in-depth debate needs to be held in parliament. Comparing it to the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Abdullah said that no bill should be rushed and passed.

“It has not come before the Parliament yet. It will be debated in the House. The debate should be open; it should not be similar to what happened with Article 370 in 2019. It should be discussed openly. As far as the National Conference is concerned, we will sit and form an opinion on it and tell our MPs how to vote,” Abdullah told ANI.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Maji strongly opposed the bill, saying that the BJP is trying to distract voters and undermine regional issues. According to Maji, the BJP's election campaigns focus solely on religion and caste.

“The BJP would like to implement 'One Nation, One Election' because their election campaign has nothing but religion and caste. In the Jharkhand assembly elections too, they (BJP) contested on the issue of religion and caste, but faced a humiliating defeat. Through 'One Nation, One Election,' they are trying to confuse the public. The central government will never be able to work on local issues. 'One Nation, One Election' is part of a conspiracy to harm regional parties,” Maji said while speaking to ANI.

Former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung made objections to its practicality, fearing that many would tend to dissolve the legislatures in advance. "This is indeed a very difficult proposition," he said.

“I don’t think it’s a practical decision because the terms of state legislatures can fall prematurely. There is no constitutional embargo to it. You can try it, but it’s absolutely impractical. It will not happen,” Jung said in his remarks to ANI.

While the BJP-led NDA alliance has welcomed the bill, arguing that unified elections would save time and streamline governance, opposition parties under the INDIA bloc remain staunch in their disapproval. They believe the measure might undermine regional representation and fail to address local governance issues.