EC can conduct 'One Nation One Election' within six months' notice, says Parliamentary panel chief

The Election Commission, in its preliminary submission to the Joint Committee of Parliament on the proposed 'One Nation One Election', has said it would be ready to conduct simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections if given six months' notice, panel chairman PP Chaudhary has said,

Chaudhary was speaking to the media in Lucknow on Wednesday after the committee concluded its three-day consultations with academia. Chaudhary said that the committee would also hear the Election Commission before finalising its recommendations on the proposed constitutional amendments.

"We will hear the Election Commission on how it plans to conduct 'One Nation One Election'. We will put our questions to it, and only after hearing its views will the committee recommend whether it is feasible or not," he said.

One Nation, One Election (ONOE) is a proposal to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies. The core goal is to synchronize the country's voting cycles so citizens can cast votes for national and state representatives at the same time.

Referring to EC's submission, he said, "The poll body had indicated that simultaneous elections across the country would be feasible if it is given six months' advance notice."

"The Election Commission believes that if Parliament passes the law in 2028, it can conduct 'One Nation One Election' from 2029," he reiterated.

Describing the proposal as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, Chaudhary said simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections had been conducted in the country between 1954 and 1960 using ballot papers.

"We cannot underestimate our voters. They are politically aware and capable of deciding whom to vote for. That is why India's democracy enjoys a distinct place in the world," he said.

Proposal didn't violate Constitution structure

Constitutional experts who appeared before the panel had opined that the proposal did not violate the basic structure of the Constitution, federalism or democracy, he said.

"It is only a timetable for holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections together. It does not curtail the powers or rights of the states," he quoted the experts.

Claiming broad public support for the proposal, Chaudhary said, "Almost 99 per cent of civil society and ordinary people are in favour of 'One Nation One Election'. This is the will of the people."

He said stakeholders had told the committee that frequent elections disrupted governance as officials were repeatedly diverted for poll duty across states.

Earlier, the committee examining the Constitution (Amendment) Bills on the proposed One Nation One Election initiative held discussions with vice-chancellors, directors and heads of departments from leading universities and institutions in Uttar Pradesh, including Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Banaras Hindu University, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Kanpur, Indian Institute of Management Lucknow and the University of Allahabad.

According to an official statement, the participants made detailed presentations covering various provisions of the proposed constitutional amendment Bills.

The discussions focused on issues such as Centre-State relations, the implications of mid-term elections, the concept of an unexpired term, the long-term sustainability of simultaneous elections, the proposed powers of the Election Commission of India and other aspects of electoral reforms.

Later, the committee interacted with Padma awardees, representatives of civil society organisations and media personalities as part of the final round of consultations in Lucknow. During the interaction, members invited suggestions on the proposed reforms and explained the rationale and key features of the constitutional amendment Bills.

The committee said the consultations were aimed at encouraging wider public participation and informed discussion on the proposed electoral reforms.

It added that the inputs and recommendations received from various stakeholders would assist its ongoing examination of the proposed legislation on simultaneous elections.

What's the panel's mandate?

The Committee aims to build an consensus among its members to recommend a strong law to Parliament. This law should be acceptable to everyone and beneficial to the country, Chaudhary said earlier.

Currently, elections happen throughout the year across the country's 30 States and Union Territories. This leads to unnecessary spending of tax payers’ money. Additionally, because of the Model Code of Conduct, officials are often pulled away from their regular duties, according to a government statement.

“As a result, important welfare schemes for the poor get delayed, causing problems for the public. Continuous elections also create uncertainty, which might make foreign investors hesitant to invest in India. All of this directly or indirectly affects our economy, general administration and children's education,” Chaudhary said.

(With agency inputs)