Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Wednesday interacted with the members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024, headed by Chairperson PP Chaudhary, during the panel’s study visit to the Delhi Vidhansabha.
The visit was part of the Committee’s nationwide consultations on the proposed framework for One Nation, One Election.
The Committee is examining the constitutional, legal, administrative, and electoral implications of simultaneous elections through consultations with governments, constitutional authorities, political parties, and other stakeholders, following which it will submit its recommendations to Parliament.
During the interaction, Gupta placed several suggestions for its consideration, while observing that simultaneous elections were the norm in the initial decades after Independence, political developments and the premature dissolution of legislatures gradually led to divergent electoral cycles.
He noted that frequent elections entail substantial administrative and financial costs, repeatedly bringing the Model Code of Conduct into operation and affect the continuity of governance and development programmes.
Stressing that any reform must rest on broad political consensus and robust constitutional safeguards, the Delhi speaker suggested a comprehensive examination of issues relating to the synchronisation of electoral cycles, constructive votes of no-confidence, premature dissolution of legislatures, harmonisation of electoral rolls, strengthening the logistical preparedness of the Election Commission, and institutional mechanisms to ensure political stability, while preserving country’s democratic and federal character.
PP Chaudhary stated that the Committee had been entrusted by Parliament with examining the proposed constitutional and legislative framework for simultaneous elections.
Describing the exercise as one with far-reaching implications for India’s democratic and electoral architecture, he said the panel was engaging with state governments, constitutional authorities, legislators and other stakeholders to ensure that its recommendations reflect India’s diverse constitutional, political and federal perspectives.
He emphasised that the consultative process would enable the panel to present a comprehensive and well-informed report to Parliament.