Simultaneous Polls Panel Unlikely to Meet Monsoon Session Deadline
The Parliamentary Joint Committee reviewing the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, which proposes simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, is unlikely to submit its final report during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The panel, chaired by senior BJP MP P. P. Chaudhary, plans to travel to Uttar Pradesh on July 9 for further consultations with government and opposition representatives.
Chaudhary stated, 'We will be visiting more states and speaking to a wider base of stakeholders. This is going to be one of the defining reforms in our post-independent history. We have some more work remaining.' The panel's deadline is set for the first day of the last week of the upcoming session, but an extension is considered likely.
Formed in December 2024, the committee has held 18 meetings in Delhi and consulted six former Chief Justices of India (CJIs). Among them, Justices U. U. Lalit and Sanjiv Khanna argued that the bill violates the basic structure of the Constitution as protected by the Kesavananda Bharati judgment. Justice Lalit said the legislation in its current form cannot withstand a Supreme Court challenge, while Justice Khanna noted it 'violates and offends the basic structure of the Constitution.'
In contrast, four former CJIs—B. R. Gavai, Ranjan Gogoi, D. Y. Chandrachud, and J. S. Khehar—told the panel that the bill does not infringe upon the basic structure. However, all six former CJIs raised concerns about the unrestricted power granted to the Election Commission to decide election schedules, particularly for state assemblies.
The panel must address several complex issues to synchronise election cycles. It is considering a provision that would bar no-confidence motions against an incumbent government if only one year of its term remains. These deliberations indicate that a final report before the Monsoon Session is unlikely.
