Latest news with #OneElection
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.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Haryana CM Saini extends support to ‘One Nation, One Election' move
The Haryana government on Monday extended in-principle support to 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, saying that its effective implementation will yield multi-dimensional benefits for the country, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said during a meeting with the joint parliamentary committee. Stating that 'One Nation, One Election' is a vital part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visionary concept of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat', Saini said that this is not just a slogan but a national approach towards a strong and coordinated democracy. Speaking on the occasion, Saini said that the implementation of 'One Nation, One Election' will bring significant reforms to the democratic system. The joint parliamentary committee is on a study tour regarding the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territory Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The chairman of committee and MP, PP Chaudhary, along with several other members, was present on the occasion. Saini said that frequent elections hinder development work, as the administrative machinery remains engaged in the election process, directly affecting the general public. Citing Haryana as an example, he said that the state has undergone three major elections within the past year-- Lok Sabha elections from March to June 2024, the assembly elections from August to October, and the municipal elections from February to March 2025. He said that due to the imposition of the model code of conduct during these elections, the pace of development was disrupted. The administration was preoccupied with election duties, and the public had to bear the consequences. Moreover, the expenditure incurred on elections is also very high, said Saini. The chief minister said that 'One Nation, One Election' will not only save resources but will also reflect the people's sentiment that elections should be held simultaneously to avoid wastage of time and money. This would also increase public participation in the democratic process. Therefore, everyone should unanimously support this initiative, he said. He suggested that while deciding election dates, socio-cultural factors like agricultural seasons, festivals, wedding seasons, holidays, etc., should be considered to ensure maximum voter participation. Saini said that frequent elections reduce voter enthusiasm, which negatively impacts voter turnout. 'If elections are held once every five years, it will generate renewed enthusiasm among voters, thereby strengthening democracy and enhancing public participation,' he said. He added that 'One Nation, One Election' would make it possible to hold elections to both the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies simultaneously. This would ensure uniformity in voter awareness campaigns, better coordination in administrative preparations, and optimal use of resources, said the chief minister. Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli, Haryana chief electoral officer (CEO) Pankaj Agarwal, and other dignitaries were also present on this occasion.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Punjab political leaders against ‘One Nation, One Election' proposal
The 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE) proposal promoted by the BJP-led Central government, which seeks to hold simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State/Union Territory Legislative Assemblies, has sparked significant debate in Punjab amid concerns over weakening of federalism, regional autonomy and democratic principles. On June 14, members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on ONOE met leaders of political parties of the State in Chandigarh. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Indian National Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) firmly expressed their reservations to the proposal and opposed the idea of ONOE. The SAD, a century-old party, highlighted several concerns and pointed out that the proposed Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, would weaken the State's autonomy. 'The Bill would cause more harm than improvement. Article 356 was the root cause of the disruption of simultaneous elections in the country. In case Article 356 is not done away with, the election schedule would be disrupted again, so what's the point of this Bill? Also, the insertion of Article 82 A clause 5 empowers the Election Commission of India to defer elections to Legislative Assemblies. This can be misused against opposition parties anytime,' it said. Opposing the idea of ONOE, the Congress's leaders, including State president Amarinder Singh and Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, presented the party's case before the committee. 'One Nation, One Election goes against the basic concept of federalism that has been guaranteed by the Constitution of India,' the State president said, pointing out that parliamentary and Assembly elections were held on entirely different issues. 'The idea of imposing simultaneous elections to Parliament and the State Assemblies will mean imposing dictatorship by default. The regional and local issues that gain prominence during the Assembly elections will be ignored and suppressed. The regional and local aspirations will get muzzled down,' Mr. Singh said. Strong objections The ruling AAP in Punjab raised strong objections to ONOE, terming it 'a direct assault on the fundamental structure and spirit of the Constitution of India'. Pointing out that the proposed Bill would effectively render the tenures of State Assemblies subject to the discretion of the Union government, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the BJP's attempt was an alarming overreach incompatible with the federal framework enshrined in the Constitution. Mr. Cheema said the proposals in the Bill would destabilise the balance of power essential to India's democratic fabric. 'The One Nation, One Election Bill proposed by the BJP is a calculated move to eliminate regional parties that represent diverse cultures, languages, and regions, and serve as the backbone of Indian democracy.' BJP leaders, meanwhile, argue that simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State/Union Territory Legislative Assemblies would reduce election-related expenses and boost governance continuity.
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)
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Laxman takes part in study visit of ONOE JPC
Hyderabad: BJP Rajya Sabha Member and Parliamentary Board Member Dr K. Laxman participated in the study visit of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 'One Nation, One Election,' which took place in Chandigarh. During the study tour, the BJP MP engaged in discussions regarding the "Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024," and "The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024." He stated that these discussions represent a significant advancement in shaping the future of India's democratic and electoral landscape.
