Joint committee on the Constitution on 'One Nation, One Election' says Goa consultations back simultaneous elections

Lok Sabha Secretariat Joint committee on the Constitution on 'One Nation, One Election' says Goa consultations back simultaneous elections

Panel will recommend safeguards for stable governance:

Chairman P.P. Chaudhary प्रव तथ: 11 JUL 2026 6:43PM by PIB Mumbai Goa, 11 July 2026 The Joint Committee on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty–Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 studying the prospects of simultaneous elections on Saturday said its two-day consultations in Goa received overwhelming support from stakeholders for the proposed 'One Nation, One Election' framework, with suggestions focused largely on procedural safeguards to strengthen the electoral system.

Addressing a press conference after the Committee concluded its consultations, Chairman Shri P.P. Chaudhary said the interactions with legislators, government officials, industry representatives, academia, legal experts, civil society organisations and the media had yielded constructive feedback that would help the committee refine its recommendations before submitting its report to the Parliament.

Shri Chaudhary said the country remains in a near-permanent election mode, with Assembly elections taking place in different states almost every year, resulting in repeated disruptions to governance, education, economic activity and public expenditure. “The states which dependent on tourism, including Goa, suffer significant economic losses when elections coincide with peak tourist seasons, while industries also face production setbacks due to labour migration during elections,” he said.The Chairman said studies and expert consultations before the committee indicate that synchronised Lok Sabha and Assembly elections could generate economic savings estimated at nearly ₹7 lakh crore, resources that could instead be channelled towards infrastructure, welfare programmes and long-term development.

Rejecting concerns that simultaneous elections would weaken federalism or disadvantage regional parties, Shri Chaudhary said the proposal merely seeks to align election schedules without altering the constitutional distribution of powers between the Union and the States. He added that India's electoral history demonstrates that voters are capable of making independent choices for the Parliament and State Assemblies even when elections are held together.

“The committee has consulted former Chief Justices of India, former Supreme Court judges, constitutional experts and senior legal practitioners, whose views indicate that the proposed framework is consistent with the Constitution and does not violate its federal or democratic character,” he said, and added that the committee is also examining mechanisms to ensure the stability of governments after synchronisation, including safeguards relating to anti-defection provisions, constructive votes of no-confidence and constitutional measures to preserve the common election cycle in the event of premature dissolution of legislatures.He said the committee's objective is to build a durable constitutional framework that promotes uninterrupted governance, reduces recurring election expenditure and strengthens democratic institutions in the long term.

The committee has already completed consultations in Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Gujarat and Goa, and will continue its nationwide stakeholder outreach with its next round of consultations in Uttar Pradesh.

* * * PIB Panaji | Nana Meshram/Riyas Babu/Darshana Rane

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