The Parliamentary Joint Committee reviewing the simultaneous elections Bills met with a group of prominent media persons on Monday, October 5, 2026, despite a written objection from at least one member. Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose sent a letter to chairperson P.P. Chaudhary asking which of television anchor Sudhir Chaudhary’s recent written or broadcast work qualified him to speak to the committee. She also urged that the chairperson invite legal correspondents or journalists who have extensively reported on the subject.
Ghose highlighted a 2012 case against Mr Chaudhary that alleged extortion and resulted in judicial custody. While acknowledging that a period in custody does not automatically disqualify a person from appearing before the committee, she argued that witnesses should be selected on the basis of demonstrated expertise and a credible record. She requested that the chairperson share the criteria used for selecting media witnesses with all members.
The media witnesses presented divergent views on the One Nation, One Election legislation. Anjana Om Kashyap of Aaj Tak, Sudhir Chaudhary of DD News, and Rahul Sinha of Zee News supported the Bill, citing cost savings for the national exchequer. Sinha, however, called for a review of the powers granted to the Election Commission, a common criticism. Raj Chengappa of India Today and Shekhar Gupta of The Print expressed reservations, arguing that renewing mandates at regular intervals sustains Indian democracy.
The panel also consulted economists V. Anantha Nageswaran, S. Mahendra Dev, and S. Gurumurthy, who unanimously backed the reform. They said that frequent election cycles divert resources, contribute to policy paralysis, and keep governance focused on electoral campaigns rather than administration.
