Former Union minister P.
Chidambaram on Monday (August 24, 2026) strongly opposed the proposed move to hold simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State assemblies before a joint committee of Parliament , decrying the initiative as “monstrous” and “unconstitutional. The former Home and Finance Minister also said that the proposal to hold nationwide polls under “One Nation, One Election” is a “mindless” exercise.
Chidambaram submitted his opinion while appearing before the joint committee of Parliament on the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which aim to synchronise Lok Sabha and State assembly polls. When asked about Mr. Chidambaram’s submission, Mr. “Considering their wide range of experiences, I believe the committee gained rich information and excellent suggestions from them. Their views on ‘One Nation, One Election’ are very important.
Sources said Mr. The senior Congress leader contended that the bills on simultaneous polls are “unconstitutional”. He argued that since any legislature is elected for a five-year term, curtailing its tenure directly violates the basic structure of the Constitution, sources aware of the deliberations said. TMC’s Sagarika Ghosh, a member of the panel, also opposed the bill, claiming it would give “unbridled” power to the Election Commission. Chaudhary said the former Union minister gave good inputs, but he may have a different view as he represents a particular party. others opposed it, saying it may bring “chaos” in the country While a section supported the initiative of simultaneous polls. “The Padma awardees generally feel that simultaneous polls are in the national interest, provided sufficient safeguards are in place and that the committee should work towards this goal,” he said, adding there is a broad desire for the implementation of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ process.
