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Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on 'One Nation, One Election' and BJP MP PP Chaudhary reiterated that the idea of having simultaneous elections is in the national interest while highlighting that the idea has been discussed for decades, pointing to a series of reports and recommendations supporting simultaneous elections.
Speaking to ANI, Chaudhary said on Sunday that the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 1983 and a former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee committee in 2002 backed simultaneous elections to ease the electoral burden. "As early as 1983, the Election Commission of India acknowledged the burden of constant engagement in the electoral process and noted that holding simultaneous elections would be convenient for both the Commission and the nation. Subsequently, a committee on the 'Working of the Constitution,' established by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, recommended in its 2002 report that simultaneous elections should be held nationwide," Chaudhary told ANI. Chaudhary added, "This was followed by reports from the Law Commission of India, a body chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge. Around two reports, including a draft report, stated that holding simultaneous elections is in the national interest." He further pointed out that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice, chaired by Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sudarsana Natchiappan, had also recommended holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously. "Subsequently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice, chaired by Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sudarsana Natchiappan, also recommended holding Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections simultaneously. NITI Aayog's communications echoed this sentiment. Later, the Prime Minister constituted the Ram Nath Kovind Committee; the report submitted under the leadership of our former President also affirmed that simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are in the national interest and suggested that Panchayat and municipal elections be held within 100 days of the general and assembly polls," Chaudhary added. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, is linked to the proposed reform popularly known as "One Nation, One Election," which seeks to synchronise elections for the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is also part of the broader framework aimed at facilitating the implementation of simultaneous elections across the country. These Bills, introduced on December 17, 2024, in the Lok Sabha and sent to the JPC for further scrutiny, collectively aim to introduce simultaneous elections across the country. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has undertaken multiple study visits and meetings with various subject matter experts. The most recent study visit programme was in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow in July. (ANI)
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