One Nation One Election – JPC Eyes 2029 Rollout for Simultaneous Polls
One Nation One Election –The Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the proposed simultaneous elections legislation is working on a framework that could allow the “One Nation, One Election” plan to be introduced by the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, committee chairperson PP Chaudhary said on Friday.
Speaking during the panel’s two-day meeting in Goa, Chaudhary said the committee was gathering views from different sections of society and institutions across the country. The aim, he said, is to prepare an approach that addresses practical concerns while securing wider political acceptance.
Goa Government Shares Its Views With Parliamentary Panel
The committee held discussions with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and members of the state Cabinet on Friday. The interaction focused on the administrative, constitutional and political issues that may arise if Lok Sabha and assembly elections are conducted together.
Chaudhary said the meeting was informal but useful, as the Goa government’s representatives outlined their views on how the proposal could work. The panel also discussed possible safeguards to ensure that the new system remains fair and acceptable to different states and political parties.
According to him, the committee is trying to strike a balance between the proposed reform and the concerns of states that have different election schedules.
Consultations Held Across Several States
The JPC has already conducted consultations in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. These meetings involved constitutional specialists, academics, civil society representatives and organisations working on electoral and governance issues.
Chaudhary said most civil society participants who have appeared before the committee have backed the idea of holding elections together. He claimed that support from such groups was close to 99 per cent, though the committee is continuing its outreach before reaching any final conclusion.
The Rajasthan MP said the panel’s immediate task is to identify a model that can be supported by political parties with differing views on the proposal.
Possible Alignment of State Polls Before 2029
On the expected timeline, Chaudhary said the committee is studying several options and believes the reform could be made operational around the 2029 general election. He added that some states could potentially align their election cycles earlier if chief ministers and political parties agree voluntarily.
Such alignment would require states to consider changes to the tenure of their legislative assemblies. The committee is examining how these adjustments could be handled without disturbing constitutional principles or democratic representation.
The final recommendations are expected to address the situations in which a government falls before completing its term and how elections would be managed under a synchronised system.
Economic Impact Forms Part of Committee Review
Chaudhary also referred to the economic assessment presented before the high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. He said separate elections held regularly across different states were estimated to cause an economic loss of about Rs 7 lakh crore, while synchronised polls could create comparable gains.
He argued that election activity in one part of the country can affect business, travel and public administration elsewhere because state economies are increasingly linked. Using Goa as an example, he said elections in larger states can influence tourist movement to the coastal state, while elections in Goa can also affect its tourism sector.
Governance and Schooling Concerns Raised
Frequent elections also affect government functioning, Chaudhary said, particularly when officials and teachers are assigned election duties. Teachers are often involved in electoral roll work, training programmes and polling arrangements, which can interrupt classroom teaching.
He said students studying in government schools may face the greatest impact, especially those from economically weaker families who rely heavily on public education.
Chaudhary described simultaneous elections as a major electoral reform supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the committee’s focus remains on developing a practical proposal through broad consultation, with the wider objective of supporting India’s development goals for 2047.