Former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, leads the committee to explore the possibility of conducting 'One Nation, One Election.' He emphasized that this step is in favor of national interest and not any particular political party. On Monday night, the former president informed reporters that holding simultaneous elections would be beneficial for the public as the saved revenue could be redirected towards more developmental work.
Committees, including Niti Aayog, the Election Commission of India, and others, have advocated for the revival of the tradition of 'One Nation, One Election' in India. The Law Commission is now close to finalizing its report on the conduct of simultaneous polls. The Election Commission (EC) is reported to have emphasized the need for a "definite lead time" of up to a year before implementation during its meeting with members of the law panel earlier this year, citing "steep" logistical challenges in manufacturing voting machines.
The Election Commission of India has never opposed the idea of 'One Nation, One Elections' as long as requirements are met. These requirements include logistical arrangements for EVM sourcing, consensus among political parties, and adherence to the Constitution of India in terms of correspondence arrangements.
During its first meeting in September, the committee decided to invite recognized national parties, state-level political parties, parties with representatives in parliament, and other recognized state parties to discuss the idea of holding simultaneous elections nationwide.
The panel also discussed the committee's procedures and announced that the Law Commission of India would be invited to share its ideas and opinions on the matter.
The idea of conducting simultaneous elections has been actively promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi throughout the years. The committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind is the first step towards achieving the goal of ‘One Nation, One Election’.
Editorial - Sally (Anh) Ngo,
November 22, 2023
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