Kovind-led panel seeks public suggestions on 'One Nation, One Election'
A high-level committee, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, has sought suggestions from the public on the "One Nation, One Election" idea. People can post their suggestions on the committee's website onoe.gov.in or send them by e-mail to sc-hlc@gov.in. The deadline to submit suggestions is January 15, 2024. The panel is already examining the legal and constitutional outcomes of simultaneous elections.
Why does this story matter?
On September 2, 2023, the Centre formed an eight-member committee headed by Kovind to examine the "One Nation, One Election" proposal. It refers to conducting elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and panchayats simultaneously across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have previously spoken about it on several occasions as it's part of the BJP's 2014 manifesto.
Suggestions sought from 50 political parties, Law Commission
The committee has held two meetings since it was constituted in September 2023. It had also written to nearly 50 political parties seeking their suggestions, views, and interaction on a "mutually agreed date" to discuss holding national, state, and local polls simultaneously. The panel has also heard the views of the Law Commission on the simultaneous poll proposal.
Know about mandate of the panel
The panel is mandated to examine and recommend specific amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act of 1950 and 1951, and other relevant laws for holding simultaneous elections. Key members of the committee include Home Minister Amit Shah, former leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, and 15th Finance Commission chairperson NK Singh, among others.
Opposition calls simultaneous election eyewash
Meanwhile, opposition parties have opposed the "One Nation, One Election" proposal, claiming it would inevitably help the incumbent government. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who was also one of the members selected to be part of the panel, opted out, calling the exercise an "eyewash." Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi called it an attack on India, which is a "Union of states."
Support for PM Modi's 'One Nation, One Election'
Notably, the idea of "One Nation, One Election" has long been advocated by PM Modi, and the Law Commission also supported it in 2018. The Election Commission of India (ECI), too, has backed the idea, highlighting logistical, financial, and legal feasibility based on its analysis and historical precedent. However, opposition parties opposed the move, arguing that holding simultaneous polls would help the ruling party.
Know history behind 'One Nation, One Election'
To recall, the first general elections in independent India were held in 1951-52. Simultaneous elections remained the norm until 1967. The cycle was disrupted by the premature dissolution of some state assemblies in 1968 and 1969, along with the Lok Sabha in 1970. In 1983, the ECI proposed bringing the system back. The Law Commission's report in 1999 also supported simultaneous elections.
