Gujarat govt backs simultaneous polls before JPC, Congress opposes move

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday met the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the proposal for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and assemblies, with the state government backing the 'One Nation, One Election' idea.

The opposition Congress slammed the proposal, calling it a hidden agenda aimed at centralisation of power.

Besides Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, senior officials and other delegates from the Gujarat government also met the JPC panel at GIFT City near Gandhinagar and submitted the state's views before the committee chaired by P P Chaudhary.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Sanghavi said the Gujarat government fully supports the proposed legislation as it is in the ''national interest''.

''As this concept is in the interest of the nation, the Gujarat government has extended its full support to the idea of 'One Nation, One Election','' he said.

Sanghavi said Gujarat had already moved in the direction of simultaneous elections by conducting polls to municipal corporations, municipalities, district panchayats and taluka panchayats together during this year's local self-government elections.

''This set a new precedent for states across the country, showing that we can execute this effectively,'' he said.

Highlighting the burden on the administrative machinery due to frequent elections, Sanghavi said Gujarat witnessed assembly elections in 2022, Lok Sabha elections in 2024 and local body elections in 2026, while another election cycle is due in 2027.

He said election management consumes massive manpower and time, particularly of the police and administrative machinery.

''According to a Gujarat government survey, around 50 lakh working hours of government staff are consumed during a single assembly or Lok Sabha election,'' Sanghavi claimed.

He said the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct during elections affects welfare work and routine administration.

''The Model Code of Conduct remains in effect for 60 to 85 days during Lok Sabha elections and 45 to 50 days during assembly elections. Implementing 'One Nation, One Election' would save public time and resources and allow officers to focus on public welfare work,'' he said.

Sanghavi said the Gujarat government submitted detailed data and inputs to the JPC and requested the panel to expedite implementation of the proposal.

Meanwhile, a Congress delegation led by the party's Gujarat president and MLA Amit Chavda also met the JPC.

''We strongly oppose the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal and bill. The hidden agenda behind bringing this bill is the centralisation of power,'' Chavda told reporters after the meeting.

He alleged that the proposal goes against the constitutional spirit and the federal structure of the country.

''Our constitutional framework grants different systems and powers to each state, and this is an attempt to centralise them,'' he said.

Chavda also objected to provisions relating to no-confidence motions and dissolution of governments, saying the proposal undermines the principle of fixed five-year mandates.

''We oppose the provisions regarding no-confidence motions or the dissolution of a state government. The bill suggests that in such circumstances, mid-term elections cannot be held, and if they are, it will only be for the remainder of the term,'' he said.

Citing Dr B R Ambedkar's remarks in the Constituent Assembly, Chavda said voters elect governments for a full five-year term and not for a truncated duration.

Rejecting the Centre's argument that simultaneous elections would reduce expenditure and administrative burden, Chavda said election-related expenditure accounts for less than one per cent of government budgets.

He also raised concerns over the availability of security forces and the cost of procuring electronic voting machines and VVPATs for nationwide simultaneous polls.

The Congress leader further argued that simultaneous elections would overshadow local issues with national narratives and create confusion among voters if elections to Parliament, assemblies and local bodies are held together.

''If elections are held simultaneously, central issues and national narratives will dominate, suppressing local issues of states. If all elections happen on the exact same day, voters will be highly confused,'' said Chavda.

''We oppose this bill because it is against the federal structure of this country and the spirit of the Constitution. It is a bill designed to limit the rights of state legislative assemblies and centralise power,'' he said.

The JPC, which has been holding consultations in Gujarat over the last two days, had on Tuesday directed the Gujarat chief secretary to submit a comprehensive report containing inputs from all departments regarding the proposal.

The 41-member parliamentary panel is scrutinising two proposed legislations related to simultaneous elections -- the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill. Panel chairman P P Chaudhary had claimed on Tuesday that simultaneous polls could help the country save Rs 7 lakh crore, increasing the GDP by 1.6 per cent.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)