Latest news with #JointParliamentaryCommittee
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Though Cong opposes ‘One Nation One Election' Bill, we gave opinion to Parl panel: Himachal CM
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that the party opposes One Nation, One Election. He said this at the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, pertaining to the proposal of One Nation-One Election, held at Fagu. Giving details, the chief minister said, 'The meeting was chaired by Member of Parliament PP Chaudhary. We were invited to share our personal and party's views on One Nation, One Election. The speaker, deputy speaker, and other stakeholders are also being called. As elected representatives, we believe it is our duty to participate in such democratic discussions.' 'Our stand is clear, we oppose One Nation, One Election. However, we gave inputs to strengthen democratic structures. We raised practical concerns what happens when a government collapses mid-term, or an MLA resigns? How will tenures align?' he said. 'If the proposal is to hold all elections in 2029, but our state elections are due in 2027, will those be deferred by two years? These are significant constitutional challenges that need thorough deliberation' Sukhu added while thanking the committee members for visiting Himachal and sharing the draft bill and scope of the proposal. People want One Nation, One Election: Chaudhary 'People want One Nation, One Election , it's not just a political issue, it's a national issue,' said Bharatiya Janata Party MP PP Chaudhary. 'In every state we visit, civil society, scholars, Padma awardees, and even those in Congress-ruled states have shown overwhelming support to one Nation One election,' said Chaudhary, while adding, 'Separate elections mean separate voter lists, multiple deployments, school closures for polling, and repeated election expenditure.' He said that the simultaneous elections were the norm until 1967, which changed only after 1970 due to early dissolution of assemblies. 'No political party can ignore the will of the people. If citizens demand it, even parties that oppose the idea may reconsider,' said Chaudhary. One Nation, One Election would be significant for hill states: Thakur Member of the committee and former Union minister Anurag Thakur said that One Nation, One Election would be significant for hill states like Himachal Pradesh. 'Simultaneous elections save time, money, and reduce disruption especially in hill states' said Anurag. 'The Joint Committee is rightly meeting political leaders, media, and intellectuals to gather diverse perspectives. Students and youth have shown great interest. If this bill becomes law, it can accelerate development and strengthen our democracy.' He said. Basic structure of Constitution must not be altered: Pathnia Himachal assembly speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said, 'The basic structure of constitution must not be altered. The Constitution already provides for five-year terms for both Parliament and state legislatures. But mid-term elections and breakdowns in governance have disrupted that structure. This committee is exploring whether we can return to that stability.' People want elections held together: Jai Ram Thakur Former chief minister and leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said, 'The One Nation, One Election bill is a bold move. Political parties may have different opinion but the public sentiment is clear in favour of one nation one election.' 'Our party fully supports it. We believe it should be implemented as soon as possible,' added Jai Ram.
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
JPC Chairperson on One Nation One Election holds meeting in Chandigarh
Chandigarh [India], June 16 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP PP Chaudhary, the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairperson on One Nation One Election, held a meeting in Chandigarh on Monday. The meeting is currently underway with regional and national political parties of Haryana and Chandigarh, including the BJP, INC, JJP, BSP, INLD, and former Chief Ministers, who are discussing the matter of the One Nation One Election. The 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill for simultaneous national and assembly polls was tabled in the Lok Sabha in December last year. It was later referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee. The Modi government had formed a High-level Committee on simultaneous Elections, under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind, who submitted an over 18,000-page report to President Droupadi Murmu in March last year. Earlier, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema strongly opposed the Centre's One Nation, One Election (ONOE) proposal, terming it a direct assault on the federal structure of the country and against the spirit of the Constitution framed by Dr BR Ambedkar. Speaking to ANI after a meeting with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in Chandigarh, Cheema reiterated the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government's firm stance against the initiative, arguing that it undermines state autonomy. 'The JPC and its Chairman visited Punjab today to seek the views of the state government and political parties on One Nation, One Election. We have clearly presented our viewpoint before the Committee--this agenda is harmful to the country. It aims to dismantle the federal structure of the nation and goes against the principles of our Constitution. This move threatens the autonomy of states, and we strongly oppose it. We will not allow it to be passed,' Cheema said. In contrast, State Convener for ONOE, SS Channy, supported the initiative, claiming that 'people want One Nation, One Election to be implemented.' 'I welcome the JPC for coming to Punjab to listen to the political parties. We went around the state, and people want One Nation, One Election to be implemented. This will save time and money,' Channy said, highlighting the potential benefits of reduced election expenditure and administrative disruptions. (ANI)
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
AAP-led Punjab govt, Punjab Congress, Akali Dal object to 'One Nation One Election' in meeting with JPC
CHANDIGARH: The AAP-led Punjab government, Punjab Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal registered their strong objections to the 'One Nation One Election' proposal tabled by the BJP-led central government during a meeting with members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Saturday. After attending a meeting convened by the Joint Parliamentary Committee under the chairmanship of PP Choudhary, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema described it as a direct assault on the fundamental structure and spirit of the Constitution of India as framed by Babasaheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar. Cheema said that he, along with AAP State President Aman Arora, completely rejected the move. "This proposal by the BJP-led Union government is a hidden agenda designed to destroy the federal structure of the nation as enshrined in the Constitution of India, meticulously architected by Baba Saheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar," he said. Referring to the amendments in the proposed Bill, Cheema said that the suggested amendments would effectively render the tenures of state assemblies subject to the discretion of the Union government, an alarming overreach incompatible with the federal framework enshrined in the Constitution. He said that this bill will further encourage the misuse of Article 356 and 360 by the Union government. As per section 5 of part 2, if the Election Commission is of the opinion that the elections to any Legislative Assembly cannot be conducted along with the general election to the House of the People, it may make a recommendation to the President, to declare by an order, that the election to that Legislative Assembly may be conducted at a later date. Citing this amendment, Cheema said that the BJP's One Nation One Election concept would ultimately backfire, as it would enable the Union government to conduct state elections at its convenience a year or two after general elections, rather than fulfilling the purpose of the proposal as being publicised.
Hans India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
2034 earliest for simultaneous polls under existing Bills
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre's ambitious 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, which seeks to synchronise elections for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, is unlikely to be implemented before 2034, according to BJP MP PP Chaudhary, who is chairing the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the proposed Bill. Chaudhary said the simultaneous elections could be held under the existing Bills only in 2034, and the committee may go beyond the draft law to suggest ways to keep polls aligned, including recommending a provision for a constructive or positive vote of no-confidence. The 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill, approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2024, outlined a framework for simultaneous national and state-level elections. The Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha in December 2024, and just a few days later, it was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee. The One Nation, One Election draws from the recommendations of the High-level Committee on Simultaneous Elections, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind. He submitted a 18,626-page report to President Droupadi Murmu in March 2024. But despite the Centre's legislative push, India is unlikely to see simultaneous polls before 2034, as the timeline depends on complex logistical, legal, and political preparations, a point recently reiterated by the JPC Chairperson. In a recent interview, when asked about the timeline for the first simultaneous elections, Chaudhary said: "The committee will deliberate; Parliament will decide. We can't say when, but the Bill says the first session of Parliament. If it happens with the appointed date, then it would be from 2034". The primary reason the One Nation, One Election plan can't be enforced before 2034 is because of how the Bill is structured. The Bill proposes adding a new Article 82A to the Constitution. This article would let the President announce an "appointed date" during the first sitting of a newly-elected Lok Sabha. But since the first sitting of the current (18th) Lok Sabha commenced in 2024, it could be done next in 2029. Following the President's notification of the appointed date, the terms of state legislative assemblies elected thereafter will be curtailed to synchronise with the five-year term of the Lok Sabha commencing in 2029. This means that any state assembly elected after the appointed date -- whether its term begins in 2031 or 2033 -- will have to end by 2034, so that its next election can align with the Lok Sabha cycle starting that year. So, the next opportunity for the President to notify would come only after the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. If the Bill passes by then, the next Lok Sabha will run until 2034, and that's when simultaneous elections could begin. Apart from this, there are other significant challenges as well. For the One Nation, One Election Bill to become law, it must be passed by a two-thirds majority by both houses of Parliament. After enactment, it would also have to be ratified by at least 50% of state legislatures, which looks like a challenging task given the National Democratic Alliance's numbers in Parliament. While the NDA holds a little over 290 seats in the Lok Sabha and 129 in the Rajya Sabha, it falls short of the two-thirds majority required -- 364 in the Lok Sabha and 164 in the Rajya Sabha -- to pass the Bill. Therefore, the Narendra Modi-led Centre will need support from parties outside its coalition, a point emphasised by Chaudhary, who said, "parties who think of the national interest would support the Bills". From the perspective of ratification by state and Union Territory Assemblies, as of June 2025, the NDA holds power in 20 of India's 30 legislative assemblies, while the INDIA bloc governs 10, a number that works in the NDA's favour.
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First Post
10-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
How India plans to vote in a 'one nation, one election' in 2034
Simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislatures are provided for under the 2024 Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the 2024 Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill) read more Since the government intends to hold the first nationwide simultaneous polls by 2034 following the ratification of the constitutional reform bill for 'one nation, one election', all state assemblies elected after 2029 would serve for a shorter period of time to synchronise their term with the 2034 general elections. PP Choudhary, head of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the 'one nation, one election' bill (The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024), told Times of India that the assembly, which is set to be elected in 2032, may only serve a two-year term after 2027 in order to ensure that the next elections in Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in India, coincide with the Lok Sabha elections, which may occur in 2034. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislatures are provided for under the 2024 Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the 2024 Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill). According to the constitution amendment bill, the President may announce when the next general elections are due by announcing the date of the Lok Sabha's first session following a general election, which is most likely scheduled for 2029. When the Lok Sabha's five-year term ends, the tenure of all state assemblies established after this date would also end. An election for the Lok Sabha or state legislature will be conducted for a term equivalent to the remaining five years if it is dissolved before its five-year mandate. As a result, its subsequent election will coincide with the cycle of simultaneous elections. Assembly elections will only be held to coincide with the Lok Sabha elections, even in states where polls are scheduled. The bill does, however, stipulate that the Election Commission may propose to the President that elections for a state assembly be held separately from those for the rest of the nation if it believes that this is not possible. The President may issue an order to hold elections for that assembly at a later date. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Choudhary, the BJP MP for Pali in Rajasthan, stated that based on the JPC's operations, the panel's term may be prolonged because the members agreed to visit states and union territories prior to delivering their final recommendations. To date, JPC members have travelled to Uttarakhand and Maharashtra. The bills were filed in the LS in December of last year and submitted to the Chaudhary-led panel, which has been consulting with stakeholders for comments.
