New Delhi- The high-level committee on ‘One Nation One Election’ headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind to study simultaneous parliamentary, assembly and local bodies polls submitted the report to President Draupadi Murmu on Thursday.
The extensive report, which runs into over 18,000 pages, has put forth several recommendations, including joint polls for Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step, followed by local body polls within 100 days.
The Committee in its report recommended that in the event of a hung Assembly or hung Parliament, or a no-confidence motion constituting the new House, fresh elections may be held for the remainder of the five-year term.
Where fresh elections are held for the House of the People, the tenure of the House of the People will be only for the unexpired term of the immediately preceding full term of the House of the People and the expiration of this period shall operate as a dissolution of the House, the committee recommended.
The High Committee panel also recommended that elections to the Municipalities and the Panchayats be synchronised with the House of the People. Simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha, assemblies can be held in the first step, followed by local body polls within 100 days in the second step. This will require ratification by not less than one-half of the States.
Upon all-inclusive deliberations, the Committee concludes that its recommendations will significantly enhance the transparency, inclusivity, ease and confidence of the voters.
Overwhelming support for holding simultaneous elections will spur the development process and social cohesion, deepen the foundations of our democratic rubric, and realise the aspirations of India, that is Bharat, the committee said.
Former president Kovid-led Committee earlier today called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and submitted its report on the ‘One Nation One Election’.
The 18,626 pages long report is an outcome of extensive consultations with stakeholders, experts and research work over 191 days, since its constitution on September 2, 2023.
Other members of the Committee are Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, NK Singh, former Chairman, of the 15th Finance Commission, Subhash C Kashyap, former Secretary General, Lok Sabha, Harish Salve, Senior Advocate, and Sanjay Kothari, former Chief Vigilance Commissioner. Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Law and Justice was a Special Invitee and Dr Niten Chandra was the Secretary of the high level panel.
The Committee held extensive consultations to understand the views of different stakeholders. Forty-seven political parties submitted their views and suggestions, out of which 32 supported simultaneous elections. Many political parties had extensive discussions with the High level committee on this matter.
’32 Political Parties Supported, 15 Opposed’
The high-level committee on ‘one nation, one election’ approached 62 parties out of which 47 responded — 32 in support of holding elections simultaneously, 15 against it.
Fifteen parties did not submit a response, according to the report of the panel submitted to President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday.
Among the national parties, the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) opposed the proposal, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and National People’s Party supported it.
“Responses were received from 47 political parties. Barring 15 political parties, the remaining 32 political parties not only favoured the system of simultaneous elections, but also advocated its adoption for saving scarce resources, protecting social harmony, and stimulating economic development,” the report said.
“Those who opposed simultaneous elections raised apprehensions that its adoption could violate the basic structure of the Constitution, be anti-democratic and anti-federal, marginalise regional parties, encourage the dominance of national parties, and result in a presidential form of government,” it said.
The AAP, Congress and CPI(M) rejected the proposal saying it undermines democracy and the basic structure of the Constitution, said the report.
The BSP did not explicitly oppose it, but highlighted concerns regarding the large territorial extent and population of the country, which could make implementation challenging, said the report.
The Samajwadi Party in its submission said if simultaneous elections are implemented, state-level parties will not be able to compete with national parties in electoral strategy and expenditure leading to increased discord between these two sets of parties.
Among state parties, AIUDF, Trinamool Congress, AIMIM, CPI, DMK, Naga People’s Front, and Samajwadi Party opposed the proposal to hold simultaneous elections.
The AIADMK, All Jharkhand Students Union, Apna Dal (Soney Lal), ASOM Gana Parishad, Biju Janata Dal, Lok Janshakti Party (R), Mizo National Front, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, Shiv Sena, Janata Dal (United), Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, Shiromani Akali Dal, and United People’s Party Liberal supported the proposal.
Others including Bharat Rashtra Samiti, Indian Union Muslim League, Jammu And Kashmir National Conference, Janata Dal (Secular), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Kerala Congress (M), Nationalist Congress Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Sikkim Democratic Front, Telugu Desam Party, and YSR Congress Party did not respond.
Among other parties, CPI(ML) Liberation, Social Democratic Party of India opposed it, while Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal, Bharatiya Samaj Party, Gorakha National Liberal Front, Hindustani Aavam Morcha, Rashtriya Lok Jan Shakti Party, Rashtrawadi Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) were among those who opposed.
The report also said that at an all-party meeting in 2019, which was attended by 19 political parties to discuss critical reforms in governance, simultaneous elections was among the issues discussed and 16 of them favoured it.
Only three parties opposed the idea, it said.
According to the report, in the 2019 meeting the parties that had supported the idea are: the BJP, Nationalist Congress Party, Janata Dal (United), YSR Congress, Biju Janata Dal, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Lok Janshakti Party, Shiromani Akali Dal, Apna Dal, All Jharkhand Students Union, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, National Democratic Progressive Party, National People’s Party, People’s Democratic Party, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, and Republican Party of India supported the proposal.
The CPI(M), AIMIM and the RSP were the only parties that had opposed it.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
