With the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on ‘One Nation, One Election’ underway, BJP leader Anurag Thakur on Tuesday hailed the proposed amendment bill as “transformative, visionary and historic”.

“The One Nation, One Election Bill is transformative, visionary and historic. The Narendra Modi government believes in reform, performance and change. If the country is developing at such a rapid pace today, it is largely due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives and the efforts of his government. One Nation-One Election is also in the same direction,” he told reporters in Srinagar.

The BJP leader further argued that holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously will save both time and money. “If the assembly and Lok Sabha elections are held simultaneously in the country, time will be saved, money will be saved, and the code of conduct will be in force for a shorter period. Lakhs and crores of rupees of the country will be saved,” he opined.

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He also pointed out that the country used to hold simultaneous polls between 1952 to 1967, but the practice was abandoned after “the Congress repeatedly toppled governments” and elections became isolated.

“This is not the first time. There was ‘One Nation, One Election’ from 1952 to 1967, but Congress repeatedly toppled governments or they fell for other reasons, so the elections became isolated… If there is ‘One Nation, One Election’, it will be in the national interest,” he added.

The JPC meeting on ‘One Nation One Election’ was underway at Parliament House in New Delhi. The JPC comprises 39 members, including 27 from the Lok Sabha and 12 from the Rajya Sabha.

The panel is expected to interact with Justice Hemant Gupta, former judge of the Supreme Court; and Dr B S Chauhan, retired Supreme Court Judge and Chairman of the 21st Law Commission of India; and explore the practicality of holding assembly and general elections together.

Earlier, P P Chaudhary, JPC chairperson on One Nation One Election, told reporters frequent elections cause inconveniences to the education system, affecting students and teachers, and also require extensive deployment of paramilitary forces, the Election Commission personnel and logistical arrangements.

Chaudhary also said that the JPC all-state visit on ‘One Nation, One Election’ will begin on May 17 from Maharashtra, followed by Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh and Punjab.

“The committee believes that it should visit all states and hear their opinions, which is why the tour is being organised. Maharashtra will be covered first on May 17-18, then Uttarakhand between May 19 and 21. Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Chandigarh (encompassing Punjab and Haryana), will be covered in June, according to different categories. Everyone will be heard, whether a celebrity, sportsperson or anyone else.” he added.

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