Lucknow, July 15: The three-day meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) regarding the constitutional amendment bills related to ‘One Nation, One Election‘ concluded in Lucknow on Wednesday. The committee’s chairman and MP, P.P. Chaudhary, stated that ‘One Nation, One Election’ is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary approach. Its aim is to make the democratic system more effective, transparent, and aligned with national interests. He emphasized that this system does not violate the core structure of the Constitution or the federal framework.
In a press conference following the meeting, P.P. Chaudhary noted that Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were held together from 1952 to 1967. However, this arrangement changed due to various reasons. He explained that in 1968, the imposition of President’s Rule in some states and the reorganization of states affected the electoral cycle. Additionally, the extension of the Lok Sabha’s term during the Emergency led to the discontinuation of simultaneous elections.
Chaudhary mentioned that various institutions and committees have recommended conducting elections together over the years. These include the Election Commission in 1983, a committee in 2002, a parliamentary committee in 2015, the NITI Aayog in 2018, and a high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind in 2023.
The JPC chairman clarified that ‘One Nation, One Election’ refers solely to the simultaneous conduct of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. He asserted that this system would not impact the Constitution’s core framework. He claimed that this approach could benefit the country’s economy by nearly seven lakh crore rupees. He pointed out that frequent elections put pressure on administrative resources, hinder development work, and affect industrial activities as many workers return to their home states.
Chaudhary informed that the Joint Parliamentary Committee is visiting various states to gather suggestions from all stakeholders. If the related bills are passed by Parliament, multiple state Assembly elections could be conducted alongside Lok Sabha elections in a phased manner starting in 2029. He also mentioned that provisions like ‘constructive votes of confidence’ are being considered to ensure government stability. On the final day of the three-day meeting, the committee engaged in detailed discussions with vice-chancellors, directors, law and political science experts, and academics from various universities and higher education institutions in the state.
Representatives from institutions such as Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Banaras Hindu University, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow University, Indian Institute of Management, and Allahabad University shared their suggestions. The discussions covered topics like center-state relations, mid-term elections, remaining terms, the role of the Election Commission, stability of the electoral process, and the administrative and legal aspects of the proposed constitutional amendments.
Committee members also sought clarifications from experts on various points. Some experts were allowed to submit written suggestions later. Following this, the committee interacted with Padma awardees, representatives from civil society, and members of the media. The committee stated that it would prepare its report after considering the received suggestions and opinions.
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