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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Former CJI seeks level-playing field in simultaneous poll plan
NEW DELHI: Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud has raised some concerns about simultaneous state and parliamentary elections in his submissions to a joint parliamentary committee and called for a level-playing field between smaller and national parties, people aware of the matter said on Thursday. The proposal to align elections – known colloquially as one nation, one election (ONOE) – was a part of the BJP's 2024 poll manifesto. (PTI) Ex-CJI Chandrachud and another former CJI, JS Khehar, are set to attend on July 11 a meeting of the JPC examining the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, which are intended to roll out simultaneous polls in the country, the people cited above said. The 39-member JPC — headed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader PP Chaudhary — was set up in December 2024. Although there is no time frame for the submission of the report, the term of the JPC has been extended till the first day of last week of the upcoming Monsoon Session. The proposal to align elections – known colloquially as one nation, one election (ONOE) – was a part of the BJP's 2024 poll manifesto and is backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who argues that it will trim election costs and shift focus to governance. But the proposal is fiercely opposed by a raft of political parties and activists who allege that it will hurt democratic accountability and federalism. The bills propose the alignment process to begin in 2029 and the first simultaneous elections in 2034. 'Justice Chandrachud has also given his opinion about the proposed ONOE. In his submission to JPC in April, he has pointed out that concerns about simultaneous elections possibly marginalising smaller or regional parties because of the dominance of better resourced national parties is a significant policy aspect which warrants legislative attention,' said the person quoted above. A clutch of regional parties such as the Rastriya Janata Dal (RJD) have alleged that the proposed legislation can dent federalism. 'The former CJI has noted that to ensure a level playing field among political parties, the rules governing electoral campaigning, particularly those relating to campaign finance, must be strengthened. Referring to the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 that impose ceilings on the amount a candidate can spend for campaign, there are no corresponding limits on the expenditure incurred by political parties themselves he said. This gap in regulation weighs the electoral process towards parties with greater financial resources he said,' the person quoted above said. On the fear that simultaneous elections may infringe upon the right of voters to choose their elected representatives, the former CJI pointed out that even in instances where the duration of either the Lok Sabha or the assembly expires before the full term, the legislation provide for conducting mid-term elections, ensuring that the Indian electorate remains continuously represented by their duly elected representatives. 'He is of the view that the proposal would be violative of the basic structure doctrine only if the facet of non-simultaneous elections to every tier of the government is a basic feature of the Constitution,' the person quoted above said. Chandrachud is also learnt to have weighed in on the provisions for no-confidence motion. 'He has pointed out that the cardinal principle of parliamentary democracy is that the council of ministers, headed by the Prime Minister, must always have the support of the House. This principle will be diluted if there is a time bar on introducing the no-confidence motion. Similarly, one of the common features of a multi-party democracy such as India is the inability of any party or coalition of parties to secure the majority in the House. If the issuance of a notice of no-confidence is contingent on the motion of confidence, there is a real possibility of the minority government continuing in power. This is contrary to democratic tenets,' said the person quoted above. The bill now being examined by JPC suggests adding Article 82(A) (simultaneous elections to the House of the People and all legislative assemblies) and amending Articles 83 (duration of Houses of Parliament), 172, and 327 (power of Parliament to make provisions with respect to elections to Legislatures). It also states that the provisions of the amendment will come into effect on an 'appointed date,' which the President will notify on the first sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election. As per the bill, the 'appointed date' will be after the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029, with simultaneous elections slated to begin in 2034. According to a person aware of the details, the meeting on July 11 will see JPC also interact with former Union minister and Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and former Congress lawmaker EMS Natchippan. From the first elections in Independent India in 1952 until 1967, polls were held simultaneously across the country. But since the Lok Sabha and state assemblies can be dissolved before their tenures end, the state and national elections came to be held at different times after that. Several committees, including a parliamentary panel, the Niti Aayog and the Election Commission of India, have studied simultaneous polls in the past, backing the idea but flagging logistical concerns.
India Gazette
7 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Former CJIs DY Chandrachud, JS Kehar to interact with JPC on One Nation One Poll on July 11
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): The Joint Committee on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, will meet on July 11, 2025, at Parliament House Annexe in New Delhi, featuring interactions with legal experts and former officials. Sitting of the Joint Committee on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Members are informed that the next sitting of the Joint Committee on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, will now be held on July 11. The agenda of the Meeting is interaction with Justice JS Kehar, former Chief Justice of India, on the said Bills. Interaction with Justice DY Chandrachud, former Chief Justice of India, on the said Bills. Interaction with Dr EM Sudarsana Natchiappan, former Rajya Sabha Member, former Chairman of the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice and Senior Advocate on the said Bills. Interaction with Dr Veerappa Moily, former Chief Minister of Karnataka, former Union Minister, former Chairman, 2nd Administrative Reforms Committee and former Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Finance on the said Bills. Earlier, Chairperson of JPC, ONOE, PP Chaudhary, held discussions with various stakeholders in five states, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh (Union Territory) over the issue of One Nation One Election. Meetings were held in Delhi, during which we had interactions with former CJIs UU Lalit, Ranjan Gogoi, former chief justices of various high courts and others. Earlier, while speaking to ANI exclusively, PP Choudhary said, The committee believes that it should visit all states and hear their opinions, which is why the tour is being organised. Reacting to the website launch, PP Chaudhary told ANI earlier that there should be 'transparency' and the entire Committee has agreed on this. 'There should be transparency. The entire Committee has agreed that we must keep transparency. The website will facilitate opinions from all the stakeholders. The committee took decisions on two major things, the advertisement will be printed in all languages so that all stakeholders can give their opinions.' 'Secondly, the website will facilitate inputs from all stakeholders... This is being examined by the Secretary General... The development of technology is taking time to ensure the website doesn't crash... The website will be launched soon with a QR code facility. Suggestions will be collected, and Parliamentarians will review them,' he added. He further remarked that everyone has different opinions. 'There could be different opinions in the Committee time will come when all the members will agree to it because all the leaders think for the nation and will agree over it for the nation's interest,' he said. (ANI)
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Himachal Pradesh govt opposes ‘one nation, one election' plan in meeting with parliamentary panel, including BJP's Anurag Thakur
1 2 3 Shimla: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Thursday said the state govt opposed the legislation on 'one nation, one election' in its meeting with a joint parliamentary committee that had come to discuss the subject. He said the Congress govt in the state instead communicated some suggestions to the committee to strengthen the democratic fabric of the country. "We suggested that a provision be made for holding byelections in a year to uphold democratic values," Sukhu told media persons after a meeting with the joint parliamentary committee on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Sukhu and his deputy chief minister, Mukesh Agnihotri, shared the views of the Himachal Pradesh govt during the discussions. BJP MP from Hamirpur constituency, Anurag Thakur , was also present in the meeting as a member of the committee. Earlier in the day, the CM welcomed the committee led by PP Choudhary with traditional Himachali caps and shawls. ] The committee members engaged in elaborate deliberations on the legislation.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India prepares for 'one nation, one election' rollout by 2034: Assemblies to have shorter terms post-2029
The Modi government is advancing its plan for implementing simultaneous national and state elections by 2034, with all state assemblies elected after 2029 expected to serve shortened terms to align with the general elections, according to a Times of India report. The groundwork is being laid through the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to enable the 'One Nation, One Election' system, the report added. According to PP Choudhary, chairman of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) overseeing the bill, state assemblies elected after 2029 — such as Uttar Pradesh's in 2032 — may serve shorter terms, potentially as brief as two years, to ensure synchronisation with the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for 2034. The bill empowers the President to issue a notification after the first sitting of the Lok Sabha following the 2029 general elections, marking the starting point for the new synchronized electoral cycle. Assemblies elected after this notification will have terms ending concurrently with the Lok Sabha's term. If either the Lok Sabha or a state assembly is dissolved early, fresh elections will be held only for the remainder of the five-year term, preserving alignment. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Vietnam (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo In states where elections are due before the 2034 target, polls will still be conducted, but only for the remaining duration needed to bring those assemblies in sync with the national election timeline. An exception clause exists: if the Election Commission determines that a simultaneous election isn't feasible in a particular state, it can recommend to the President that polls be held separately. Choudhary, a BJP MP from Pali, Rajasthan, also noted that the JPC is likely to extend its term, as there is consensus among members to visit more states and Union Territories before finalising recommendations. So far, visits have been conducted in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand to gather public and stakeholder feedback. Live Events Both the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill were introduced in Parliament in December 2024 and referred to the JPC for detailed scrutiny. The goal is to streamline the electoral process, reduce logistical burdens, and ensure more consistent governance cycles nationwide.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt targeting 2034 to hold 1st 'one nation, one election'
NEW DELHI: As the govt is expecting to hold the first countrywide simultaneous polls by 2034 after passage of the constitutional amendment bill for 'one nation, one election', all state assemblies to be elected after 2029 will be for a shorter duration to align their tenure with the 2034 general elections. Head of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on the 'one nation, one election' bill (The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024) PP Choudhary explained to TOI that after 2027, the assembly due to be elected in 2032 may have a tenure of only two years to ensure the synchronisation of the next elections in Uttar Pradesh-India's largest state electorally -with the Lok Sabha polls which may be held in 2034. The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill), 2024, have provisions for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. As per provisions of the constitution amendment bill, the President may issue a notification on the date of the first sitting of Lok Sabha after a general election, in all probability the one to be held in 2029, to spell when the next general elections will be due. The terms of all state assemblies constituted after this date will expire with the end of that Lok Sabha's five-year term. If Lok Sabha or a state assembly is dissolved earlier than its five-year term, an election for it will be held for a term equal to the remainder of the five-year term. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 전체임플란트 간단 뼈이식포함 300만원에 kimplant 더 알아보기 Undo This will synchronise its next election with the simultaneous elections cycle. Even in states, where polls will be due, elections for assemblies will be held only to align with the Lok Sabha polls. However, the bill states that if the Election Commission is of the opinion that election to a state assembly cannot be held along with the rest of the country, it may make a recommendation to the President in this regard. The President may issue an order to conduct an election for that assembly at a later date. The BJP MP from Pali in Rajasthan, Choudhary, said going by the JPC's working, its tenure may be extended as there was a consensus amongst panel members to visit states and UTs before making the final recommendations. So far, JPC members have visited Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. The bills had been introduced in LS in Dec last year and were referred to the Chaudhary-led panel which has been holding consultations with stakeholders for feedback.
