Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

Simultaneous polls cleared by Union Cabinet on Wednesday

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday unanimously accepted the report submitted by a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind that explored the feasibility of ‘one nation, one election’.

Ram Nath Kovind-led panel had submitted the report in March ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. Placing the report before the Cabinet was a part of the Law Ministry’s 100-day agenda.

Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Ram Nath Kovind-led panel’s report on simultaneous polls found widespread support and that the Union Cabinet approved its proposal unanimously.

The high-level committee had recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days. The panel had also proposed setting up of an ‘Implementation Group’ to look into the execution of the recommendations made by the committee.

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said ‘one nation, one election’ was not practical and alleged that the BJP comes up with such things to divert attention from real issues when elections approach

Asked about the issue, Kharge said at a press conference In New Delhi, “It is not practical. It will not work. When elections come, and they are not getting any issues to raise, then they divert attention from real issues.”

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 also recommended the preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in consultation with state election authorities.

At present, the ECI is responsible for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, while the local body polls for municipalities and panchayats are managed by State Election Commissions.

The panel recommended as many as 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by State Assemblies. However, these would require certain Constitution amendment Bills that would need to be passed by Parliament. Some proposed changes regarding the single electoral roll and single voter ID card would need ratification by at least half of the States.

Separately, the Law Commission is also likely to come up soon with its own report on simultaneous polls, of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a strong votary.

Sources said that the Law Commission is likely to recommend holding simultaneous polls for all three tiers of the government — the Lok Sabha, state Assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats — starting with 2029 and a provision for unity government in cases like hung house.