Parliamentary Panel Commences Review of Simultaneous Elections Bills

The parliamentary panel, led by BJP MP PP Chaudhary, began reviewing two bills on simultaneous elections. Comprising 39 members, it includes representatives from all major parties. Officials from the Ministry of Law and Justice briefed the panel. The committee's size increased due to growing interest from political parties.

The parliamentary panel tasked with examining the legal framework for simultaneous elections met for the first time on Wednesday. Officials from the Ministry of Law and Justice presented the details of the proposed laws to the committee members, sources confirmed.

Led by BJP MP PP Chaudhary, the 39-member committee is a cross-party effort, including high-profile members such as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of Congress, JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha, Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde, AAP's Sanjay Singh, and Kalyan Banerjee from the Trinamool Congress. Chaudhary is noted for his previous role as the Minister of State for Law.

The two bills under scrutiny—Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill—were introduced in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session and now rest under the committee's review. Responding to interest from multiple parties, the committee's size was expanded from 31 to 39 members, incorporating former Union ministers and other influential lawmakers.

(With inputs from agencies.)