The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) scrutinising two bills aimed at ushering in simultaneous state and national elections has decided to visit all states, meet political parties, the Election Commission of India, former judges, paramilitary forces, and a slew of stakeholders to review the proposal, people aware of the matter said on Friday.
The JPC, led by Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker PP Chaudhary, will invite suggestions from the Union home secretary, chief secretaries of states, and all registered political parties on the bills that aim to roll out simultaneous polls, an ambitious agenda of the Narendra Modi government.
The two bills include a Constitutional amendment and a bill to roll out simultaneous polls in Union Territories. The Centre hopes that simultaneous polls will reduce costs, ensure stability and predictability in governance by minimising disruption and policy paralysis and also increase voter participation. The Opposition says it is an unconstitutional move that will damage federalism.
“Former Supreme Court and high court chief justices, all registered political parties, Election Commission and former Chief Election Commissioners, heads of paramilitary forces that are involved in election, Union and state government officials, trade unions and manufacturers of EVMs would be among the stakeholders who would be invited to depose before the panel. The JPC will also take an extensive tour of the states to talk to regional parties and the local officials,” said a senior leader of the JPC, requesting anonymity.
“The members have decided to visit every state. Therefore, we will write to the Speaker for extension of time,” Chaudhary said after the second meeting of the panel here on Friday.
Sparks flew in the second meeting of the JPC over the Opposition’s demand that the proceedings of the previous meeting be circulated to the panel members to ensure transparency and accountability, said the people cited above.
The panel chairman initially rejected the Opposition’s demand citing rules. He insisted that the House rules governing the functioning of the JPC doesn’t specify that transcripts of the discussion have to be circulated in the panel, said people aware of the developments.
The argument over the proceedings went on for almost 90 minutes as Opposition leaders, including Congress’s Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Randeep Surjewala and Manish Tewari, and Trinamool Congress’s Kalyan Banerjee demanded a copy of the proceedings, citing precedents.
Priyanka Gandhi argued that if the copy of the proceedings were not circulated, it would show a “distrust in the members”, said the people cited above.
Chaudhury suggested that the University Grants Commission be approached to help create awareness among the students on the proposal. Trinamool Congress’s Saket Gokhale protested, and said “If you are already talking about raising awareness among students, then you are already thinking about passing the bill.”
Janata Dal (United)’s Sanjay Jha defended Chaudhury and reminded Gokhale that every member in the panel was entitled to give suggestions on all issues.
On December 20, the Lok Sabha formed a 39-member JPC to examine The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the amendments to the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 — the two bills that aim to roll out simultaneous polls.
Several Opposition lawmakers expressed their concerns regarding the bill when the legislation was introduced in the 2024 winter session , questioning its constitutionality. Some argued that the bill poses a threat to democracy and undermines the principles of federalism.