Concerns regarding the deployment of security forces, electronic voting machines (EVMs), and logistical readiness for simultaneous elections were the focal points of discussions during the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting in Gujarat. The committee, chaired by BJP MP P.P. Chaudhary, is examining the feasibility of synchronized elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Political parties, including Congress, AAP, and BJP, expressed apprehensions about the infrastructure requirements for conducting elections at multiple levels concurrently.
Leaders from various political parties, such as State Congress President Amit Chavda, voiced opposition to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal. Chavda criticized the perceived hidden agenda of centralizing power and weakening the federal structure of the Constitution. He highlighted concerns about the logistical challenges, including the substantial deployment of security personnel and the availability of EVMs and VVPAT machines.
Congress MLA Imran Khedawala and AAP representatives also raised doubts about the practicality of implementing simultaneous elections. They questioned the government’s claims of cost savings and emphasized the complexities involved in managing different governance priorities across various election cycles. The AAP suggested conducting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in separate national cycles as a potential alternative model.
