Joint panel eyes ‘One Nation, One Election’ rollout by 2029

PANAJI, JUL 10 (PTI): The Joint Committee of Parliament examining the bills on simultaneous elections is working to evolve a mechanism to make the ‘One Nation, One Election’ reform operational by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, its chairperson PP Chaudhary said on Friday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the panel’s two-day meeting in Goa, Chaudhary said the committee was consulting stakeholders across the country and claimed that nearly 99 per cent of civil society representatives supported the proposal, which aims to reduce the estimated Rs 7 lakh crore economic loss caused by frequent elections.
The committee began deliberations in Goa on the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, with chief minister Pramod Sawant and his cabinet colleagues, discussing the challenges involved in implementing simultaneous elections and possible solutions.
He said the committee had already visited Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, where it interacted with constitutional experts, civil society organisations, educationists and other stakeholders.
According to Chaudhary, the committee is working towards evolving a mechanism acceptable to all political parties. He said some states could also synchronise their electoral cycles before 2029 if political parties and chief ministers voluntarily agree.
Citing a study submitted to the high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, Chaudhary said separate elections across the country result in an economic loss of nearly Rs 7 lakh crore, while simultaneous elections could generate equivalent gains.
He said elections in one state affected other states because of the interconnected economy. Using Goa as an example, he said elections elsewhere influence tourist arrivals in the state, while polls in Goa affect its tourism industry.
Chaudhary also said frequent elections disrupt governance and education, as teachers are deployed for election-related duties, affecting students in government schools.
Describing simultaneous elections as a major electoral reform envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the objective was to build broad consensus and evolve a practical mechanism acceptable to all.