BJP leader Anurag Thakur on Tuesday described the proposed ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill as “transformative, visionary, and historic,” emphasizing that it would be in the national interest and bring significant benefits to the country.
“The ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill is a step forward that aligns with PM Modi’s vision of reform, performance, and progress. Under his leadership, the country is progressing rapidly, and this initiative aims to further that momentum. Holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies would save time and money, reduce the duration of the model code of conduct, and lead to savings of crores of rupees,” Thakur told reporters in Srinagar.
He also pointed out that the concept of ‘One Nation, One Election’ was implemented between 1952 and 1967. “However, frequent government changes led to separate elections. Now, with ‘One Nation, One Election,’ the country stands to benefit significantly,” he added.
In a related development, PP Chaudhary, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on ‘One Nation, One Election,’ announced that the committee’s all-state visit would commence on May 17, starting with Maharashtra, and continue through Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, and Punjab.
“The JPC aims to hear opinions from all states, with Maharashtra kicking off the tour on May 17-18. After that, Uttarakhand will be covered from May 19-21. Visits to Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh, including Punjab and Haryana, will follow in June. We are committed to gathering input from various stakeholders, including celebrities and sports personalities, to assess the potential benefits of this initiative for the nation,” Chaudhary said.
Chaudhary also emphasized the importance of transparency in the process. “The committee has agreed that transparency is crucial. A dedicated website will be launched soon, where stakeholders can share their opinions. The website will support multiple languages, and suggestions will be collected for review by Parliamentarians,” he added.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on ‘One Nation, One Election’ is currently working on the Constitution Amendment Bill, which seeks to synchronize the election cycles of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
