A district-level youth parliament was held at Chamba Government College under the Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament 2025 initiative, bringing together young debaters to discuss the controversial topic of one nation, one election. The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, National Service Scheme (NSS), and Nehru Yuva Kendra, with Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repaswal attending as the chief guest.
Chamba Government College was designated as the nodal institution for both Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti districts, hosting students from various institutions, including Government Colleges of Chamba, Salooni, Tissa, Chowari, Banikhet, BTC DAV College Banikhet, Millennium BEd College Labkana, ITI Chamba, and Polytechnic College, Chamba.
Programme coordinator, Prof Avinash Pal, explained that each participant was given 2 minutes and 45 seconds to 3 minutes to present their views on the topic “One Nation, One Election – Steps Towards a Developed India.” The debate saw a lively exchange of ideas, with students presenting well-researched arguments both in favour of and against the initiative.
Supporters of one nation, one election argued that it would help reduce corruption, enhance transparency, strengthen economic stability, and optimise resource utilisation. On the other hand, critics raised concerns about feasibility, administrative challenges, and potential drawbacks that could arise from implementing simultaneous elections across the country.
In the fiercely contested debate, Diksha secured first place, followed by Himangi in second, Dikshita Gupta in third, Komal Rani in fourth, Arpit Jaryal in fifth, Disha in sixth, Jindal Sharma in seventh, Radhika Thakur in eighth, Bhavani Thakur in ninth, and Sakshi Thakur in tenth place. The top 10 winners will now advance to the state-level Youth Parliament competition in Shimla, where they will compete against participants from across Himachal Pradesh.
Addressing the students, DC Repaswal emphasised the importance of personality development, urging the youth to cultivate skills such as effective communication, leadership, and interpersonal behaviour. He also expressed concern over the rising menace of drug abuse, urging young people to stay away from addiction and actively spread awareness about its dangers. Encouraging the participants, he expressed confidence that Chamba’s representatives would make the district proud at the state and national levels.
The event concluded with Principal Dr Madan Guleria honouring the chief guest and judges with mementos as a token of appreciation. The Youth Parliament served as an engaging platform for young minds to deliberate on key national issues, fostering a deeper understanding of democracy and governance.
