BJP MP and chairperson of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on One Nation, One Election (ONOE), PP Chaudhary, held a key meeting in Chandigarh on Monday to seek feedback from political stakeholders across Haryana and Chandigarh.
The meeting brought together representatives from national and regional parties, including the BJP, Congress (INC), JJP, BSP, INLD, as well as former chief ministers, to deliberate on the proposed constitutional amendment for synchronised national and state elections.
The 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill—aimed at enabling simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls—was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December last year and subsequently referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee. This initiative follows the submission of an 18,000-page report by a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind to President Droupadi Murmu in March last year.
The proposal has evoked mixed reactions across political circles. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), voiced strong opposition to the ONOE plan, calling it a “direct assault on India’s federal structure and and against the spirit of the Constitution framed by Dr BR Ambedkar.”
After a meeting with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in Chandigarh, Cheema reiterated the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government's firm stance against the initiative, arguing that it undermines state autonomy.
"The JPC and its Chairman visited Punjab today to seek the views of the state government and political parties on One Nation, One Election. We have clearly presented our viewpoint before the Committee--this agenda is harmful to the country. It aims to dismantle the federal structure of the nation and goes against the principles of our Constitution. This move threatens the autonomy of states, and we strongly oppose it. We will not allow it to be passed," Cheema said.
In contrast, State Convener for ONOE, SS Channy, supported the initiative, claiming that "people want One Nation, One Election to be implemented."
"I welcome the JPC for coming to Punjab to listen to the political parties. We went around the state, and people want One Nation, One Election to be implemented. This will save time and money," Channy said, highlighting the potential benefits of reduced election expenditure and administrative disruptions.
The ONOE initiative continues to spark intense debate, with its implications for India’s federal dynamics and electoral processes remaining under scrutiny.
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