"One Nation, One Election" likely by 2029 Lok Sabha polls, says JPC chairman

PANAJI: The "One Nation, One Election" reform is likely to be implemented by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairperson and BJP MP P.P. Chaudhary has indicated. Speaking to the media following a two-day meeting of the parliamentary panel in Goa, Chaudhary stated that the committee has expedited its work to establish the required framework for the initiative.

The JPC chief noted that the committee has held extensive consultations with various stakeholders across the country, claiming that 99 percent of those consulted supported the simultaneous elections proposal. He emphasised that the current system of frequent, staggered elections incurs a massive financial burden on the nation, estimating the expenditure to be around Rs 7 lakh crore.

According to Chaudhary, the primary focus of the panel's deliberations centred on identifying the practical challenges of conducting simultaneous elections across India and exploring effective measures to resolve them. As part of its evaluation, the committee has held detailed discussions with constitutional experts, civil society organisations, and academicians from various states and union territories, including Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi.