Lucknow, 14 July (HS): The Joint Parliamentary Committee

(JPC), which is reviewing the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the

Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has initiated a dialogue with

various stakeholders in Uttar Pradesh regarding the proposed One Nation,

One Election law. The committee, chaired by P.P. Chaudhary, has been

meeting with MPs, MLAs, public representatives, administrative officials, and

holding discussions with various sections of society; this process continued on

Tuesday.

At an event held at Hotel Taj Gomti Nagar in Lucknow on

Tuesday, the committee met with Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker

Satish Mahana to seek his views and suggestions regarding holding simultaneous

elections. Discussions were also held with representatives of several other

public representatives and organizations.

Speaking before the committee, Assembly Speaker Satish

Mahana said that the spirit of one nation and one election has long prevailed

across the country. One nation, one election (ON-OE) would be convenient not

only for politicians but also for the public. Frequent elections impact both

the public and public representatives. Everyone's role and will are important

in the electoral process, but if elections are not held simultaneously,

frequent election activities also impact governance.

Sharing his experience, he said, I often have to be

active in the electoral process in my constituency. Whenever elections are

held, it impacts the representatives' accountability to the public and

development work. The electoral process consumes much of the representatives'

time, while the public expects continuous work on the development of their area

and the resolution of problems. If elections are held simultaneously, public

representatives will be able to devote more time to public service and

development work.

Assembly Speaker Mahana stated that frequent elections

divert a significant portion of the administrative machinery, security forces,

and government resources from the electoral process. Holding simultaneous

elections will enable better utilization of these resources and maintain the

momentum of development projects. He emphasized that public participation is

paramount in democracy. When reforming the electoral system, it is essential to

consider suggestions from all political parties, constitutional institutions, experts,

and the general public.

It is noteworthy that during its stay in Lucknow, the Joint

Parliamentary Committee is interacting with members of the Uttar Pradesh

Legislative Assembly, representatives of political parties, senior officials of

the state government, Chief Electoral Officer, legal experts, academicians,

industry and trade organizations, intellectuals and media representatives.

It is noteworthy that the Joint Parliamentary Committee,

chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party MP P.P. Chaudhary, is on a three-day study

tour to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The committee's objective is to obtain

suggestions from various quarters on the constitutional, administrative, and

practical aspects of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state

assemblies. The committee has previously held discussions with various

stakeholders in Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka,

Gujarat, and Goa. The committee comprises a total of 39 members from the Lok

Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The suggestions received by the committee will be

incorporated into its final report.

Earlier, Lok Sabha and Assembly elections used to be held

together: Keshav Prasad Maurya

Speaking on One Nation, One Election, Deputy

Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said in Lucknow on Tuesday that when the

country gained independence, Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were held

simultaneously. However, Congress's anti-constitutional policies, including the

premature dismissal of several governments, led to staggered elections. This

led to the massive expenditure of funds from the government treasury, which

should have been spent on development, the poor, and farmers, on elections.

This has hampered the country's progress.

He said that we welcome and support the vision set under the

leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and that One Nation, One

Election must be implemented. Whether the Congress and the Samajwadi

Party fight among themselves or not, it has no impact on the BJP's health. The

BJP's victory is assured in any case. A third government (in Uttar Pradesh) is

certain in 2027, and a fourth national government in 2029. Akhilesh Yadav's

entire family has been opposing the construction of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi

Temple. Neither Ram devotees, nor kar sevaks, nor saints can forgive the murder

of Ram devotees. Akhilesh Yadav should stop his rhetoric on the Shri Ram

Janmabhoomi issue and focus on saving his party.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi