New Delhi [India], April 21: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on ‘One Nation, One Election’ is set to hold a crucial meeting on April 22 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, as part of its ongoing consultations on synchronizing elections across India.
The day-long session will feature interactions with prominent legal experts and senior parliamentarians. The lineup includes Justice Hemant Gupta (retired Supreme Court judge), Justice SN Jha (former Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir High Court), Justice BS Chauhan (former SC judge and ex-Chairman of the 21st Law Commission), and Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi (Senior Advocate and Rajya Sabha MP).
Speaking about the upcoming launch of the committee’s official website, JPC Chairperson and BJP MP PP Chaudhary said it will be available in multiple languages and equipped with a QR code to enable broader stakeholder participation. “This is to ensure the platform can handle traffic and doesn’t crash, allowing citizens across the country to share their suggestions,” he noted.
The JPC also plans a state-wise tour to gather feedback from regional stakeholders. Maharashtra will be the first state visited, followed by Uttarakhand in May. Jammu and Kashmir, along with Chandigarh (covering Punjab and Haryana), will be visited in June. These efforts aim to gather diverse perspectives from across the nation.
Chaudhary emphasized the need for synchronized elections to improve governance, reduce the frequency of polls, and fast-track national development. “MPs and MLAs remain in campaign mode almost year-round, which hampers developmental work. With synchronized elections, ‘Viksit Bharat’ can be achieved even before 2047,” he stated.
As per the government’s evolving stance, elections for Panchayats, Municipalities, and local bodies are now proposed to be held within 100 days of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.
At a previous meeting held on March 25, the committee heard from former Delhi High Court Chief Justice DN Patel and Attorney General of India R. Venkataramani. Justice Patel endorsed the ONOE concept, calling it beneficial for reducing election costs and streamlining the cycle, though he stressed the need to consider logistical aspects like EVM deployment, security, and staffing.
Attorney General Venkataramani supported the proposed constitutional amendments, stating they would not violate core constitutional principles such as federalism, democracy, or the basic structure doctrine. He emphasized that the powers of the Election Commission must be clearly defined under the amendments to ensure transparency and accountability.
However, several MPs raised valid concerns about the feasibility of holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and state elections. They questioned how national and regional issues—often very different in scope—would be effectively addressed during a single electoral process, and how regional parties would retain their voice in such a system.