New Delhi, Dec 4: The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is scheduled to hold two separate meetings on December 10 and December 17 to seek expert advices.
In the December 10 session, the committee will seek opinion from prominent legal experts, including Kapil Sibal, Member of Rajya Sabha and Senior Advocate, as well as representatives from the Election Commission of India. A week later, on December 17, the committee will seek advise from economic advisors Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune; Gita Gopinath, First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; and Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, former Chief Justice of India, for further expert insights.
Chaired by P P Chaudhary, the committee is tasked with a detailed examination of the two Bills, which were introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024, and referred to the committee on December 20, 2024. These Bills are central to the government’s flagship “One Nation, One Election” initiative, which seeks to synchronize elections for the national parliament and all state assemblies.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to empower the Election Commission to conduct simultaneous elections by amending the Constitution. It provides for the commencement of simultaneous polls through a presidential notification issued on the first sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election. Following this, the terms of all State Assemblies will align with the Lok Sabha’s five-year tenure to facilitate joint elections.
The Bill also addresses early dissolution scenarios of the Lok Sabha or any State Assembly, specifying that elections conducted in such cases will cover the remainder of the five-year term to restore synchronization. Additionally, it grants the Election Commission authority to recommend deferring a state election if simultaneous conduct is impractical, with the President empowered to issue an order accordingly. The deferred assembly’s term would then coincide with the Lok Sabha elected in the simultaneous cycle.
Complementing this, the union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, proposes necessary changes to laws governing union Territories, including the Government of union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
The Joint Committee’s terms of reference include assessing constitutional and legislative implications, operational and logistical feasibility, and the potential impact on governance, the economy, and voter participation. The committee’s report will play a crucial role in guiding Parliament on these landmark electoral reforms.
The deadline for the Joint Committee to submit its report to is the first day of the last week of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
These expert consultations highlight the panel’s commitment for a thorough and consultative process before finalizing its report on one of the most significant changes in India’s electoral system. (UNI)
