Simultaneous polls could save India Rs 7 lakh crore: JPC chairman
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Gandhinagar: India could save nearly Rs 7 lakh crore if Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections are conducted simultaneously, and the funds saved could be redirected towards development and welfare activities, according to P P Chaudhary, chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal.
The 41-member parliamentary panel, which is scrutinising the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill related to simultaneous elections, began its three-day visit to Gujarat on Tuesday.
During a meeting held at GIFT City in Gandhinagar, the panel interacted with senior bureaucrats, Gujarat Chief Secretary M K Das, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, and secretaries from various state departments.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Chaudhary said Gujarat government officials made a detailed presentation highlighting several important aspects that had not been examined earlier.
He said the committee had directed the Gujarat chief secretary to prepare a comprehensive report covering the inputs of all departments, which could later serve as a model framework for other states while preparing similar reports.
According to Chaudhary, the report should analyse the possible impact of simultaneous elections on industries, production losses, labour migration, employment, Goods and Services Tax collections, tourism, education, and the overall economy.
“A comprehensive report should be submitted by the chief secretary for further consideration and action. Today’s discussions were extremely positive and constructive,” he said.
Chaudhary claimed that holding simultaneous elections could boost India’s Gross Domestic Product by 1.6 per cent.
“Economists have stated that simultaneous elections could increase GDP by 1.6 per cent. The country could save nearly Rs 7 lakh crore, which could then be utilised for infrastructure, welfare schemes for the poor, education, healthcare, and other public welfare initiatives,” he said.
Referring to the Centre’s push for electoral reforms, Chaudhary said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had constituted a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to study the issue.
He said the Kovind committee recommended conducting simultaneous Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections and submitted a nearly 18,000-page report, which was accepted by the government.
“The report also suggested that panchayat and municipal elections should be conducted within 100 days of the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls,” Chaudhary said.
He added that the proposed reform would reduce the cycle of continuous elections and allow governments to devote more time and resources towards governance, development, poverty alleviation, education, healthcare, and national progress.
Chaudhary further claimed that six former Chief Justices of India had informed the committee that simultaneous elections would not violate the federal structure, the Constitution’s basic structure, or fundamental rights.
He also cited support from the Law Commission of India and NITI Aayog, both of which have backed simultaneous elections in their recommendations and policy papers.
The committee has already visited Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Karnataka before arriving in Gujarat, he said.
“Our effort is to hear every stakeholder and consider all viewpoints. When the committee submits its recommendations to Parliament, the aim will be to ensure that a broad national consensus has emerged,” Chaudhary added.
With PTI inputs