Joint Parliamentary Committee to Discuss 'One Nation, One Election' on Jan 8

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is set to convene on January 8, 2025, to discuss the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal.

Congress leader Salman Khurshid emphasized that implementing such a system is not a simple task. "It is not an easy task. When the parliamentary committee sits, all the issues will be placed before it and will be discussed," Khurshid told ANI on Tuesday.

The 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, which has sparked significant debate, has been met with strong opposition from Left parties. These groups argue that the proposal represents a direct attack on the federal structure and the rights of state legislatures. The bill, which aims to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, was introduced in the Lok Sabha and has now been referred to the JPC for detailed deliberation.

The 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee includes 21 members from the Lok Sabha, such as Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Manish Tewari, NCP's Supriya Sule, TMC's Kalyan Banerjee, and BJP representatives like PP Chaudhary, Bansuri Swaraj, and Anurag Singh Thakur. In addition, 10 Rajya Sabha members are part of the panel.

Opposition leaders have voiced concerns over the proposed amendments, arguing that the 'One Nation, One Election' move could disproportionately benefit the ruling party, giving it undue influence over state elections and weakening the autonomy of regional parties.