BJP MP Anurag Thakur, a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on One Nation One Election, called on Goa Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju at Lok Bhavan, Dona Paula, on Sunday, 13 July 2026, as part of the panel's ongoing study tour. The delegation held discussions on the proposed electoral reform aimed at synchronising Lok Sabha and state assembly elections across the country.

Context

Thakur shared details of the meeting on social media, describing the interaction as 'productive discussions on this transformative reform.' He noted that the reform aims to 'synchronise Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, reduce frequent electioneering, cut huge costs, minimise policy paralysis and strengthen cooperative federalism.' Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju warmly received the JPC delegation at the Raj Bhavan complex in Dona Paula, Goa.

The study tour reflects the JPC's effort to consult constitutional authorities, governors, and state-level stakeholders before finalising its report. Governors, as representatives of the Union in states, carry institutional weight in deliberations on federal electoral reforms.

Policy Backdrop

The idea of simultaneous elections has a long legislative history. The Law Commission of India's 2018 draft report recommended holding simultaneous elections and proposed a common electoral roll, examining the constitutional amendments that would be required. The reform gained renewed momentum when a High-Level Committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, constituted in September 2023, submitted its report in March 2024 endorsing the proposal with a phased implementation roadmap.

The JPC was subsequently constituted to examine the constitutional and logistical aspects of the proposal, including the legislative changes needed to align the tenures of the Lok Sabha and 31 state and union territory assemblies. Critics of the reform, including several opposition-ruled state governments, have raised concerns about federal autonomy and the practical challenges of synchronising election cycles.

Stakeholders and Impact

Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who assumed office as Goa's Governor in 2024, brings considerable political experience to the role — he previously served as a Union Minister for Civil Aviation and as a member of Parliament representing the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from Andhra Pradesh. Thakur described his 'vast experience and dedication to good governance' as a source of inspiration for the delegation.

For Goa, whose assembly elections have at times fallen outside the Lok Sabha cycle, synchronisation under the proposed reform would mean aligning its next assembly poll with the national election schedule. The Election Commission of India, state governments, and political parties across the spectrum remain key stakeholders whose buy-in will be essential for any constitutional amendment to pass.

What's Next

The JPC's study tour to states and consultations with governors and legislatures is expected to feed into its final report, which will be tabled in Parliament. Any legislative action would require constitutional amendments — a process that typically demands a special majority in both Houses and, for certain provisions, ratification by at least half the state legislatures. The pace and political consensus around the JPC's recommendations will determine whether simultaneous elections move from proposal to parliamentary bill in the near term.