The chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on One Nation One Election rejected concerns that holding simultaneous polls would confuse voters.
P.P. Chaudhary, the BJP MP leading the committee, spoke to reporters after a three-day visit to Gujarat on May 21, 2026. He cited examples from Delhi and Rajasthan where voters supported different parties in national and state elections.
Chaudhary said voters possess strong critical thinking skills and can separate national issues from local ones. He added that separate elections cost the economy around ₹7 lakh crore in direct losses.
Industry bodies including CII backed the proposal and called for e-voting options for migrant workers. Gujarat University Vice-Chancellor Neerja Gupta noted that frequent polls disrupt academic calendars and raise costs for international students.
The Congress opposed the idea. A delegation led by Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda argued that simultaneous elections would let national narratives dominate state and local concerns.
