New Delhi: Former Chief Justices of India J.S. Khehar and D.Y. Chandrachud on Friday told a parliamentary committee that the idea of simultaneous elections does not violate the Constitution’s basic structure, though they raised concerns about the extent of powers granted to the Election Commission in the proposed bill.
The two former CJIs shared their views during the eighth sitting of the Joint Committee of Parliament examining the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill. While supporting the core idea, both jurists offered critical inputs and suggested refinements to the draft legislation.
The committee, headed by BJP MP P.P. Chaudhary, is consulting constitutional experts and legal scholars as it drafts its recommendations. Earlier, former CJIs U.U. Lalit and Ranjan Gogoi also appeared before the panel. Like Khehar and Chandrachud, they did not oppose the constitutionality of simultaneous polls but flagged specific concerns and gave suggestions.
The proposed bill aims to streamline national and state elections to improve efficiency and reduce election-related expenditures. However, legal and constitutional implications remain under active discussion among experts and lawmakers. (Agencies)
