New Delhi, July 11: P.P. Chaudhary, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposals, has expressed confidence that simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies could become a reality by 2029.
Speaking to the media after a JPC meeting in Goa on Friday, Chaudhary said the committee is exploring various options to develop a framework that is acceptable to all political parties and stakeholders.
The meeting was held with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and members of the state cabinet as part of the committee’s nationwide consultations on the proposed Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, which seeks to facilitate simultaneous elections.
Chaudhary said the committee is examining:
- The feasibility of conducting simultaneous elections.
- Constitutional and legal challenges.
- Practical solutions for implementation.
- Suggestions from political parties and experts.
The JPC chief stated that if political parties and some state governments voluntarily agree, certain states could align their Assembly election schedules with the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
He said this could help pave the way for implementing the “One Nation, One Election” model.
According to Chaudhary, the JPC has already held consultations in:
- Gujarat
- Karnataka
- Maharashtra
- Himachal Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Delhi
The committee has interacted with constitutional experts, academicians and civil society organisations to gather feedback on the proposal.
He claimed that nearly 99 percent of those consulted have expressed support for simultaneous elections, while adding that the committee is working towards evolving a consensus-based framework.
Chaudhary also said the financial implications of implementing simultaneous elections have been shared with the high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, which is examining the broader roadmap for electoral reforms.
He reiterated that there are encouraging signs that the One Nation, One Election proposal could be implemented in time for the 2029 General Elections, subject to the necessary constitutional and legislative approvals.
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