JPC on 'One Nation One Election' visits Goa, BJP MP Anurag Thakur calls it "crucial study tour"
Benaulim, July 11
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Anurag Thakur said the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 'One Nation, One Election' is consulting political parties, government officials and various institutions during its nationwide study tour to gather inputs for preparing its report on simultaneous elections.
Thakur told reporters here on Friday that the committee is holding consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including public representatives, political parties, government officials, legal experts, judicial representatives, public sector organisations and banking institutions.
"The Joint Parliamentary Committee on 'One Nation, One Election' is visiting various states to consult with public representatives, political parties, bureaucrats and diverse institutions, ranging from the legal fraternity and the judiciary to public sector bodies and banks," Thakur said.
Highlighting the presentations made during the Goa visit, Thakur said the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and officials from different departments explained how repeated elections affect administrative functioning, even in a smaller state.
"The Chief Minister, along with the Chief Secretary and officials from various departments, demonstrated the significant impact that frequent elections have, even on a small state like Goa. One can only imagine the scale of the impact on larger states and the country as a whole," he said.
Calling the Goa visit an important part of the committee's study process, Thakur said the ground-level feedback received from different states would help the panel in preparing its report.
"One can only imagine the magnitude of the impact on larger states and on the country as a whole. I believe this is a crucial study tour. It provides ground-level insights that will greatly assist the committee in drafting its report", he said.
"The committee will next travel to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, where it will meet political parties, the state government, the Leader of the Opposition, the Chief Minister and officials from various departments", he said.
The JPC is expected to finalise and adopt its report at its meeting on July 17 before submitting it to Parliament for further consideration.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, a sensible idea! Every election cycle, the model code of conduct halts development work for months. In smaller states like Goa, the impact is even more pronounced. Hope this committee considers the ground realities and comes up with a viable plan. 🇮🇳
Why is the JPC only visiting BJP-ruled states? They should also go to opposition-led states to get a balanced view. This feels more like a PR exercise than a genuine study. Respectfully, this "crucial study tour" seems one-sided.
As someone who works in government administration, I can attest to the disruption caused by frequent elections. Entire districts come to a standstill for months. If implemented properly, this could save crores in taxpayer money. But the devil will be in the details - constitutional amendments, state autonomy, etc.
Interesting approach. In the US, we have fixed election cycles, but it doesn't stop partisan gridlock. However, the Indian system with its multiple layers of government is unique. The JPC should study how other democracies handle overlapping elections without compromising federalism. Good luck with the report!
While the idea is appealing, I worry about the impact on regional parties and diverse voices. One election might mean one national narrative drowning out local issues. Our democracy thrives on these differences. Hope the JPC doesn't sacrifice diversity for efficiency. 🤔
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