The Lok Sabha has decided to extend the tenure of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the proposed legislation on simultaneous state and national elections, commonly referred to as 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE).
The extension allows the 38-member committee, chaired by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP P.P. Chaudhary, to continue its deliberations until the first day of the last week of Parliament's Monsoon Session.
The JPC has convened five meetings so far, with a sixth meeting scheduled for Tuesday. The primary focus of the committee is to assess two significant bills — the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill.
These bills aim to synchronise the terms of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies and align the election schedules of Union Territories like Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir with the national parliamentary polls.
The two bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha on 17 December 2024, despite strong objections from opposition members. The proposal to align elections under the 'One Nation, One Election' framework was subsequently referred to the JPC for thorough evaluation.
The committee has already heard insights from notable legal experts, including former Chief Justices of India U.U. Lalit and Ranjan Gogoi, as well as senior advocate Harish Salve. Their perspectives have added valuable depth to the ongoing discussions.
While there is notable support for the concept of simultaneous elections, concerns have also been raised.
Many experts, including those who appeared before the committee, argued that the proposed legislation could grant excessive powers to the Election Commission of India, potentially affecting the balance of power.
Opposition members have expressed significant reservations, questioning the constitutionality of the bills. Some have claimed that the proposed system could threaten democratic principles and undermine India's federal structure.
They fear that aligning state and national elections might erode regional autonomy and diminish the diversity of electoral choices.
It is worth noting that the idea of simultaneous elections is not entirely new. Several committees, including the Niti Aayog, the Election Commission of India, and previous parliamentary panels, have examined the concept.
While the idea has been generally supported, logistical and administrative challenges have been repeatedly highlighted.
According to the proposed plan, the alignment process would commence in 2029, with the first simultaneous elections likely to take place in 2034.
The constitutional amendment bill suggests that if the Lok Sabha or any state assembly is dissolved before completing its full term, mid-term elections would be conducted solely for the remainder of the five-year period.
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