Modi Cabinet clears Kovind-led report on 'One Nation, One Election', bill to be introduced in Winter Session
The panel headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind had submitted the report in March ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.
One Nation One Election: The Narendra Modi-led Cabinet has approved the proposal for 'One Nation, One Election,' which aims to synchronise the elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies to a single schedule. The report of the high-level committee on 'One Nation, One Election' was placed before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. The bill regarding 'One Nation, One Election' is expected to be introduced in the Winter Session of Parliament. Later, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw briefed the media that the Union Cabinet has approved the recommendations of the high-level committee on 'One Nation, One Election'.
Recommendations of the Kovind panel
The committee on 'One Nation, One Election', headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu on March 15 this year, recommending simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. The panel had also proposed to set up an 'Implementation Group' to look into the execution of the recommendations.
Simultaneous polls will help save resources, spur development and social cohesion, deepen "foundations of democratic rubric" and help realise the aspirations of "India, that is Bharat", the panel had said.
The panel had also recommended the preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission in consultation with the state election authorities. At present, the ECI is responsible for Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, while local body polls for municipalities and panchayats are managed by state election commissions.
The panel had recommended 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by state assemblies. However, these would require certain constitutional amendment bills that would need to be passed by Parliament.
At least half of the states would need to ratify some proposed changes regarding the single electoral roll and single voter ID card.
Law Commission's report likely soon
Separately, the Law Commission is also likely to come up soon with its own report on simultaneous polls.
According to sources, the Law Commission is likely to recommend holding simultaneous polls for all three tiers of the government – Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats – starting 2029 and a provision for unity government in cases like a hung house or no-confidence motion.
Kharge, Owaisi oppose One Nation, One Election
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge opposed the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, saying it is impractical. He also termed the approval of the simultaneous election proposal a poll gimmick ahead of elections. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes up with such things to divert attention from real issues when elections approach. On Kharge's remark calling 'One Nation, One Election' as "impractical", Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said people are in favour of the proposal. "The opposition might start feeling internal pressure (about One Nation, One Election) as more than 80% of respondents who responded during the consultant process have given their positive support, especially the youth, they are very much in favour of this."
Another opposition leader, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's (AIMIM) Asaduddin Owaisi, also opposed the move and criticised the Modi Cabinet's nod to the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal. "I have consistently opposed One Nation One Elections because it is a solution in search of a problem. It destroys federalism and compromises democracy, which are part of the basic structure of the constitution. Multiple elections aren't a problem for anyone except Modi and Shah. Just because they have a compulsive need to campaign in even municipal and local body elections does not mean that we need simultaneous polls. Frequent and periodic elections improve democratic accountability," the Hyderabad MP tweeted.