The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the proposed 'One Nation, One Election' legislation visited Lucknow on 13 July as part of its nationwide consultations, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur stating that the panel is gathering inputs from political parties, government officials, and civil society before finalising its report on simultaneous elections.

JPC's Nationwide Consultation Drive

The committee has been travelling across states to solicit suggestions and proposed amendments to the government's simultaneous elections bill. Thakur said the exercise is aimed at improving the legislation before it is formally submitted to Parliament. The JPC is expected to finalise and adopt its report at a meeting scheduled for 17 July.

'The Joint Parliamentary Committee on 'One Nation, One Election' visited several states to consult with political parties, government officials, and civil society regarding the government's proposed bill, seeking suggestions or amendments to improve it. The objective is to enable simultaneous elections for Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha across the country,' Thakur said.

The Case Against Staggered Elections

Thakur argued that the current electoral system imposes repeated governance disruptions through frequent enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). He said the cyclical imposition of the MCC over a five-year period stalls investments and development projects, while diverting large numbers of administrative personnel to election duties — crowding out other critical governance functions.

'Currently, the repeated imposition of the Model Code of Conduct over a five-year period disrupts governance and stalls investments or development projects; furthermore, the electoral cycle often overshadows other critical administrative tasks, as vast numbers of personnel are diverted to election duties,' he said.

Political Fault Lines on the Proposal

Thakur acknowledged that political parties hold divergent views on the reform, even as he cited what he described as substantial data in favour of simultaneous elections. A key concern raised by critics is that holding Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously could allow national narratives to dominate, potentially marginalising regional issues and smaller parties.

'While there is significant data supporting the 'One Nation, One Election' concept and the benefits of involving so many people in this process, political parties hold varying views; some fear that national issues might dominate the discourse if simultaneous elections are held and the regional issues might not be highlighted. Despite these differing arguments, a large number of people support the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative,' Thakur said.

The Legislative Framework

The JPC is scrutinising two bills introduced in the Lok Sabha on 17 December 2024: the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, which forms the constitutional backbone of the reform, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which extends the simultaneous elections framework to Union Territories. Together, the two bills seek to lay the legal and constitutional foundation for synchronising elections across the country.

With the JPC's report due by 17 July, Parliament will next determine the legislative path forward for one of the most consequential electoral reforms proposed in independent India's history.