Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manish Tewari likely among Congress nominees for JPC on ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill

Congress has nominated four of its senior members to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) formed to scrutinize the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. These bills aim to introduce the mechanism for conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies across India. The nominated members from Congress are Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manish Tewari, Randeep Surjewala, and Sukhdeo Bhagat.

The Constitution Amendment Bill, which proposes changes to three articles of the Indian Constitution, seeks to enable the synchronization of national and state elections. It also introduces a new Article 82A to facilitate the conduct of simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies. This amendment aims to establish a single election cycle, thus reducing election-related costs, curbing frequent electoral processes, and improving governance by ensuring a more stable political environment. The local body elections would be conducted within 100 days of the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections if the bills are passed.

The bills were introduced in Parliament during the winter session and immediately referred to the JPC for detailed examination. The government argues that the simultaneous elections will streamline the electoral process, enhance efficiency, and alleviate the financial burden of conducting multiple elections. However, the proposal has generated strong opposition from several political parties, including Congress, which argues that such a move would centralize power, undermine federalism, and reduce the autonomy of state governments. The opposition also raised concerns that this would grant excessive powers to the Election Commission of India (ECI), which would oversee the elections.

In addition to Congress’s nominees, other political parties have also named their representatives to the JPC. The Trinamool Congress has nominated Kalyan Banerjee and Saket Gokhale, while the DMK has proposed T. M. Selvaganapathi and P. Wilson. The BJP, which supports the bills, has named veteran leaders such as Ravi Shankar Prasad and Nishikant Dubey. A total of 31 members will be part of the JPC, comprising 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. The committee is tasked with examining the bills in detail and providing recommendations.

The JPC’s role will be critical as it will assess the constitutional and practical implications of implementing simultaneous elections across the country. It is expected to hold consultations with legal experts, political analysts, and stakeholders from different sectors. The committee is also expected to look into concerns raised by the opposition, including issues related to federalism, the role of the ECI, and the potential impact on state-level politics. The findings and recommendations of the JPC will be submitted to Parliament for further debate and approval.

If the bills pass through Parliament, the implementation of simultaneous elections could take place in phases. The first phase would involve the synchronization of Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. This could potentially take effect by 2034, depending on the passage of the bills and subsequent preparations. The second phase would involve the holding of local body elections within 100 days of the general elections. The success of this system would depend on various logistical, legal, and political factors, including coordination between state governments and the Election Commission.