New Delhi: A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has been formed to review the proposed ‘One Nation, One Election’ legislation, which aims to synchronize elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The committee has now been expanded to include 39 members, with 27 from the Lok Sabha and 12 from the Rajya Sabha. This expansion includes the addition of five more Lok Sabha MPs, one of whom is Baijayant Panda, the MP from Odisha’s Kendrapara constituency.
With this update, Odisha now has four representatives in the JPC: Bhartruhari Mahtab (Cuttack), Sambit Patra (Puri), and Baijayant Panda (Kendrapara)and Rajya Sabha MP Manas Ranjan Mangaraj of the BJD. They will review and consultation process of the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
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The JPC, tasked with evaluating the feasibility and framework for simultaneous elections at the national and state levels, will also examine proposals to align elections in Union Territories, such as Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir, with the Lok Sabha elections.
The Bills, introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal, have been referred to the JPC for further scrutiny. The government has argued that simultaneous elections would streamline governance and reduce costs, but opposition parties have raised concerns about potential impacts on the federal structure.
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The committee comprises prominent political figures, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (Congress), Anurag Thakur (BJP), Kalyan Banerjee (TMC), and Dharmendra Yadav (Samajwadi Party). From Odisha, the representation includes , making Odisha’s presence noteworthy in shaping the discussions.
The government argues that simultaneous elections will streamline governance and reduce costs, while opposition parties have raised concerns about the potential impact on the federal structure. The JPC’s discussions will be crucial in reaching a consensus on this significant electoral reform.
The committee is expected to submit its report before the next parliamentary session, setting the stage for further discussions on this transformative proposal in India’s electoral history.
📌 PP Chaudhary to chair Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on #OneNationOneElection . Anurag Thakur, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Dr. Sambit Patra, Bansuri Swaraj, Manish Tewari, Supriya Sule, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are in the 31-member JPC (21 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha).… pic.twitter.com/a6UPIrfecn
— TNI (@TNITweet) December 18, 2024
📌 5 more Lok Sabha MPs included in the JPC on One Nation, One Election, including Baijayant Panda. JPC will have 27 Lok Sabha and 12 Rajya Sabha MPs. From Odisha, Bhartruhari Mahatab, Sambit Patra and Baijayant Panda. All eyes on Rajya Sabha list now. Will Sujeet Kumar get the… pic.twitter.com/lkATknZo7N
— TNI (@TNITweet) December 20, 2024
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