The picture is from September 23, when a meeting of the committee formed for One Nation-One Election was held at the Jodhpur Officers’ Hostel in Delhi.
Lok Sabha and state assembly elections may be held simultaneously in 2029. On Monday, P.P. Chaudhary, chairman of the parliamentary committee formed on ‘One Nation, One Election’, said that constitutional amendments and the consent of state governments would be necessary for this.
He said that if Parliament approves the constitutional amendment by 2028, ‘One Nation, One Election’ could be implemented that year. The decision to hold assembly elections alongside the Lok Sabha elections in 2029 will depend on the willingness of the state governments.
Political parties may have different views
Chaudhary said political parties may have different opinions, but the committee must work together in the national interest. He said the panel was working according to the wishes of the people and the country.
He said civil society members were invited to share their views on the issue.
Parliament has tasked the committee with examining both Constitution amendment bills and making recommendations. Passing the bills would require the support of two-thirds of the members of Parliament.
31-member panel examining the bills
The government has introduced the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to facilitate simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
Following demands from the Opposition, both bills were referred to a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee headed by P.P. Chaudhary.
Chaudhary, a BJP MP from Rajasthan, gave the information to reporters after the committee’s meeting in Parliament.
JPC visited Maharashtra and Uttarakhand last year
Maharashtra: The JPC visited Maharashtra on May 17-18, 2025, meeting the chief minister, political parties, government officials, banks, PSUs and regulatory bodies. The panel sought to assess the possible impact of simultaneous elections on administration, expenditure and governance.
Uttarakhand: The JPC visited Dehradun and other parts of Uttarakhand from May 19-21, 2025 and met Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, state officials and other organisations. Dhami told the panel that frequent elections had affected government work for around 175 days in the previous three years due to the Model Code of Conduct.
He claimed that holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections together could save 30-35% in expenditure, particularly because conducting frequent elections is difficult in hilly states, where the Char Dham Yatra, monsoon, and challenging terrain can affect the process.
Panel formed under former President Ram Nath Kovind
A panel headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind was formed on September 2, 2023, to examine the idea of “One Nation, One Election.”
After 191 days of research and consultations with stakeholders and experts, the panel submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu on March 14.
