Jodhpur, August 27: PP Chaudhary, the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and BJP MP, discussed the advantages of conducting elections simultaneously under the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative. He addressed concerns regarding the electoral system, the potential for government collapses, and the tenure of state assemblies.
Chaudhary explained that if a government falls due to a no-confidence motion and a new government cannot be formed, mid-term elections may be necessary. However, these elections would only cover the remaining tenure, not the full five years.
In an interview with a news agency, Chaudhary noted that both proposals could be discussed simultaneously in Parliament or the assembly. If a no-confidence motion succeeds and a new government is established, there would be no need for elections.
He emphasized that the goal of this arrangement is to resolve political crises arising from government collapses within the legislature rather than through elections.
Citing Article 174(2) of the Constitution, Chaudhary stated that if a Chief Minister wishes to dissolve the assembly prematurely despite having a majority, it is constitutionally permissible. He clarified that this decision is not within the jurisdiction of the JPC or Parliament.
If a Chief Minister desires to dissolve their assembly and hold elections alongside the Lok Sabha, they can recommend this to the Governor. Under constitutional provisions, the Governor can dissolve the assembly, allowing for simultaneous elections.
Chaudhary mentioned that if multiple Chief Ministers seek to conduct assembly elections with the Lok Sabha elections, the process could proceed under constitutional provisions. He assured that the JPC is not limiting any state government’s constitutional powers.
Regarding concerns about the constitutional and federal implications of ‘One Nation, One Election,’ Chaudhary referenced discussions held by the committee. He revealed that six prominent legal experts are part of the committee. Additionally, six former Supreme Court judges and three former Chief Justices of the Delhi High Court have shared their opinions.
According to Chaudhary, these experts and former judges believe that conducting simultaneous elections does not violate the Constitution’s fundamental framework or federal structure. They argue that this approach would benefit the country and enhance the independence and fairness of the electoral process.
Chaudhary also addressed the issue of distributing free gifts, or ‘freebies,’ during elections. He suggested that holding elections simultaneously would reduce the frequency of political parties announcing election promises and free schemes.
He raised concerns about the impact of frequent elections on education in government schools. During Lok Sabha, assembly, municipal, and panchayat elections, school and college buildings are often used as polling stations, and many teachers are assigned election duties.
Chaudhary pointed out that this directly affects children’s education. He cited Gujarat as an example, where approximately 85% of the state’s 300,000 teachers were engaged in election duties, leading to disruptions in education for students in government schools.
He warned that prolonged involvement of teachers in electoral activities diminishes the quality of education in government schools. This, he noted, is a significant reason why parents are opting for private schools, resulting in a decline in student enrollment in government institutions.
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