The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigating the feasibility of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ concept extended its stay in Gujarat for a third day. The committee, led by BJP MP P.P. Chaudhary, engaged in detailed discussions with leaders from major political parties, current legislators, and senior state officials. Comprising 39 members, including 27 Lok Sabha MPs and 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, the JPC is tasked with assessing the constitutional and administrative aspects of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
On the first day of their visit, the committee interacted with senior state officials at GIFT City in Gandhinagar, where the state government provided an in-depth overview of governance structures and electoral readiness. During the meeting, JPC Chairperson P.P. Chaudhary lauded the presentation as a “model presentation,” emphasizing its comprehensive nature. He commended the Chief Secretary and senior administrative officials for presenting previously unexplored aspects in such detail.
Chaudhary mentioned that the “Gujarat model of presentation” would be refined and shared with other states as a reference for similar submissions. He highlighted that the committee’s consultations aim to collect structured feedback from states, political stakeholders, and institutions to formulate final recommendations for Parliament. The proposal of ‘One Nation, One Election’ seeks to harmonize elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies with the goal of reducing electoral costs and administrative disruptions.
Representatives from major political parties, including BJP, Congress, and AAP, participated in the committee’s discussions on the second day. The AAP delegation, led by party state president Isudan Gadhvi, presented their views alongside Congress representatives headed by state president Amit Chavda. The ruling BJP also expressed its support for the proposal during the session, while Opposition parties raised concerns regarding constitutional structure, federal principles, and electoral fairness.
The JPC, following the report of a high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, is examining the proposal in detail. The high-level committee recommended a phased approach to synchronized elections, proposing the alignment of electoral cycles and provisions for managing mid-term dissolutions. The JPC is anticipated to conclude its consultations with stakeholders in Gujarat before consolidating inputs for its parliamentary report.
