The Joint Parliamentary Committee is consulting experts, including former legal officials, on bills for simultaneous elections, crucial for advancing the One Nation, One Election initiative supported by a high-level committee.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), tasked with reviewing the two bills for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections, began consultations with experts and stakeholders on Tuesday.
Former Law Commission of India chairperson Ritu Raj Awasthi appeared before the panel to share his insights on the proposed legislation. Alongside him, IAS officer Niten Chandra, secretary of the high-level Ram Nath Kovind committee, also presented his views.
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Adding more legal perspectives to the discussion, former Chief Justice of India U U Lalit is scheduled to appear before the committee during its day-long meeting. Additionally, senior advocate and former Congress MP E M Sudarsana Natchiappan, who had chaired a 2015 parliamentary committee that backed simultaneous elections, will also present his views.
The parliamentary committee’s agenda for the February 25 meeting is broadly listed as “interaction with legal experts.” This marks a crucial step in the government’s push for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE) initiative.
The high-level committee, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, was formed by the Modi government to study the feasibility of ONOE. In its detailed report, the committee strongly endorsed the idea, highlighting its potential benefits in streamlining governance and reducing election-related expenses.
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Following the submission of the report, the Union Cabinet approved its recommendations, leading to the introduction of two bills in Lok Sabha, one of which seeks to amend the Indian Constitution to enable simultaneous polls.
To further deliberate on the bills, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla constituted a 39-member JPC, headed by BJP MP and former law minister P P Chaudhary. The committee has already held two meetings before Tuesday’s session, where it drafted its agenda and prepared a list of stakeholders and experts to consult.
As the panel continues its deliberations, the nation awaits key decisions that could transform India’s electoral process, shaping the future of democratic governance.
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