New Delhi: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the proposed One Nation One Election (ONOE) Bill, on Wednesday, held a detailed consultation with Vice-Chancellors and representatives from several National Law Universities (NLUs), who offered key constitutional and procedural recommendations aimed at strengthening the proposed legislation.
According to an official notice issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the meeting was held at the Parliament House Annexe in New Delhi, with the agenda focused on interaction with representatives from NLUs.
Participants included representatives from NLUs in Lucknow, Patna, Odisha, Kochi, Jodhpur, Meghalaya and Shimla, among others.
The committee engaged in detailed discussions to examine the constitutional, legal and procedural aspects of the proposed amendments.
During the deliberations, the NLU representatives broadly endorsed the objectives of the Bill, noting that measures such as synchronised elections could enhance administrative efficiency, reduce fiscal burdens, curb frequent disruptions due to polls, and strengthen democratic governance.
A key recommendation emerging from the consultation was the inclusion of a “constructive no-confidence motion” provision.
The academic experts highlighted that this model, followed in countries such as Germany, Belgium and Spain, could help ensure political stability.
They said that unlike a conventional no-confidence motion, which may lead to the fall of a government and possible dissolution of the House, a constructive no-confidence motion requires the Legislature to simultaneously elect a successor while removing the incumbent.
This, they added, would prevent instability and align with the broader goal of maintaining fixed electoral cycles under the ‘One Nation One Election’ framework.
In addition, the universities proposed several technical and procedural safeguards to preserve democratic integrity. These included introducing stronger procedural protections, reviewing the scope of powers proposed for the Election Commission, and establishing a statutory timeline for re-elections in case of unforeseen contingencies.
Members of the JPC raised multiple constitutional and legislative queries during the interaction, seeking clarity on the feasibility, implementation challenges and long-term implications of the proposed changes.
The meeting concluded with the committee asking the NLU representatives to further examine the issues raised and submit a collaborative draft addressing the constitutional and legislative concerns, aimed at refining and strengthening the proposed amendments.
(IANS)
