Joint Parliamentary Committee to Convene for One Nation One Election Discussion Today
Click to start listening
New Delhi, Jan 8 (NationPress) The inaugural gathering of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) focused on One Nation, One Election will occur today.
The JPC's mission is to evaluate the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, alongside the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seek to synchronize elections at both national and state levels.
Today's session will primarily introduce committee members to these two significant bills. Officials from the Ministry of Law & Justice (Legislative Department) will provide insights regarding the provisions within the proposed legislation. The meeting has been convened by JPC Chairman P.P. Chaudhary.
The One Nation, One Election Bills were presented in the Lok Sabha on December 17. The JPC, led by BJP's P.P. Chaudhary, consists of 39 members, including 27 from Lok Sabha and 12 from Rajya Sabha.
The committee's primary responsibility is to assess the viability and structure of conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.
Additionally, the committee will consider proposals for aligning elections in Union Territories such as Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir with the Lok Sabha elections.
Notable members of the JPC include Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (Congress), Anurag Thakur, and Anil Baluni (BJP), along with opposition figures like Kalyan Banerjee (TMC) and Dharmendra Yadav (Samajwadi Party). The committee's deliberations and recommendations will significantly influence the future trajectory of India's electoral system.
The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill was presented in the Lok Sabha by Law Minister Arjun Meghwal after an extensive debate lasting around 90 minutes. After a vote, the Bill's introduction received approval, with 269 MPs supporting and 198 opposing it. The bills have since been assigned to the committee for detailed examination.
Members from Lok Sabha in the committee encompass P.P. Chaudhary, C. M. Ramesh, Bansuri Swaraj, Parshottam Rupala, Anurag Singh Thakur, Vishnu Dayal Ram, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Sambit Patra, Anil Baluni, Vishnu Datt Sharma, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manish Tewari, Sukhdeo Bhagat, Dharmendra Yadav, Kalyan Banerjee, T. M. Selvaganapathi, GM Harish Balayogi, Supriya Sule, Shrikant Shinde, Chandan Chauhan, and Balashowry Vallabhaneni.
While the government asserts that simultaneous elections will enhance governance and decrease expenses, opposition parties have expressed concerns regarding its implications for the federal structure. The JPC's role will be crucial in addressing these issues and fostering agreement on this groundbreaking electoral reform.
