Lok Sabha grants extension to JPC examining Bills on ‘One Nation, One Election’

• The Lok Sabha has formally extended the tenure of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that is examining the Bills aimed at implementing simultaneous state and national elections till the end of the Winter session.

• Committee chairman P.P. Chaudhary moved a resolution seeking extension of the deadline for submission of the Committee’s report till the first day of the last week of the Winter Session.

• The resolution was passed by voice vote.

• Winter Session of Parliament usually begins in the last week of November and concludes ahead of Christmas.

• A JPC is an ad-hoc committee of the Parliament to carry out detailed scrutiny of a specific matter within a specific time.

• The Committee has been conducting nationwide consultations on the proposed rollout of simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies by 2029.

• The JPC is specifically reviewing two critical pieces of legislation: the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

• The primary objective of these Bills is to facilitate simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and all state Legislative Assemblies.

• Given the significant constitutional and logistical implications, the extension allows for a more thorough examination and consultation process.

• In September 2024, the Union Cabinet approved the recommendations of a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The Kovind panel had submitted the report in March 2024 ahead of the announcement of Lok Sabha elections.

• Simultaneous polls were held in the country between 1951 and 1967. The concept of simultaneous elections has featured in many reports and studies since 1983, essentially implying a return to the previous practice of conducting polls concurrently.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)