The parliamentary committee examining simultaneous elections bills is working to create a mechanism that could make the 'One Nation, One Election' reform fully operational by the 2029 general elections, according to committee chairperson PP Chaudhary. Speaking on the sidelines of the panel's two-day meeting in Goa, Chaudhary indicated that there is also a possibility of bringing some states into alignment before that timeline if political parties and chief ministers voluntarily agree to synchronise their electoral cycles. The committee began its deliberations in Goa on the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, with an interaction with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and members of his cabinet to discuss implementation challenges and mitigation strategies. As per Business Standard, Chaudhary emphasized that the committee is examining various options for implementation, with the objective to build a broad consensus and evolve a practical mechanism acceptable to all political parties. "We had an informal interaction with the chief minister and cabinet ministers, who represent the people of Goa. We discussed how 'One Nation, One Election' can be implemented, what challenges exist and how they can be mitigated while maintaining a fine balance acceptable to all," Chaudhary said.
According to reports from Business Standard, the committee has conducted extensive consultations across multiple states, visiting Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. Chaudhary claimed that nearly 99 per cent of civil society stakeholders consulted so far have backed the proposal, with an overwhelming majority of those consulted supporting the idea of simultaneous elections. The committee has interacted with constitutional experts, civil society organisations, educationists and other stakeholders during these visits, focusing particularly on finding a mechanism acceptable to all political parties. As per Business Standard, Chaudhary noted that the effort now is to evolve a mechanism that is acceptable to all political parties, with the committee having found that almost 99 per cent of stakeholders, particularly from civil society and various organisations, favour simultaneous elections.
As reported by Business Standard, an economic study submitted to the high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind estimated that holding elections separately across the country results in an economic loss of nearly ₹7 lakh crore. Chaudhary highlighted that elections now impact multiple states due to interconnected economies, using Goa as an example where elections in major states affect tourist arrivals in the coastal state. He emphasized that elections are now not confined to one state, as if elections are held anywhere in the country, they have an impact on other states because the economy is interconnected. He noted that the economy today is globalised, with adverse impacts in one state affecting other states as well, making frequent elections economically consequential beyond state boundaries. "Elections are now not confined to one state. If elections are held anywhere in the country, they have an impact on other states because the economy is interconnected," Chaudhary explained, using Goa as an example where elections in any major state affect tourist arrivals in the coastal state.
According to the committee findings reported by Business Standard, repeated elections disrupt governance and adversely affect education, as teachers are routinely deployed for election-related duties including preparation of electoral rolls, training and polling work. Chaudhary noted that teaching in government schools suffers, with the worst affected being children from economically weaker sections who depend on government schools. He described this as a serious concern if the situation continues over the coming decades. He described simultaneous elections as a "major electoral reform" envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it would help the country achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. "As a result, teaching in government schools suffers. The worst affected are children from economically weaker sections who depend on government schools. This is a serious concern if the situation continues over the coming decades," Chaudhary said, emphasizing the reform's potential to address long-term educational challenges.
