One Nation One Election: The committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind on One Nation, One Election has presented the report to the cabinet. Sources said that this proposal has been approved by the Modi cabinet. This bill will now be introduced in the Lok Sabha soon.
One Nation One Election: The proposal of “One Nation One Election” has been approved by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources said that the Modi Cabinet approved this proposal in the meeting on Wednesday (September 18). However, no official statement has come from the government in this regard yet. The committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind on One Nation, One Election has presented this report to the Cabinet. After this, the Cabinet has approved Ram Nath Kovind’s report on ‘One Nation One Election’.
News18 quoted sources as saying that the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill is now likely to be introduced in the upcoming winter session of Parliament. According to PTI, the report of the high-level committee on ‘One Nation, One Election’ was presented before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. Sources said that the committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted this report in March before the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. Presenting the report before the Cabinet is part of the 100-day agenda of the Law Ministry.
The high-level committee had recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, followed by simultaneous local body elections within 100 days. The committee had also proposed setting up an ‘implementation group’ to monitor the implementation of the recommendations.
It had said that holding simultaneous elections would help save resources, promote development and social solidarity, strengthen the foundations of democracy and realise India’s aspirations.
What is the committee’s recommendation?
The committee also recommended the Election Commission of India to prepare a joint voter list and voter ID card in consultation with the state election authorities. At present, the Election Commission of India is responsible for conducting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. While local body elections for municipal corporations and panchayats are conducted by the State Election Commission.
The committee recommended 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not require ratification by state assemblies. However, this will require some Constitution Amendment Bills that will need to be passed by Parliament. Some proposed changes regarding a single voter list and a single voter ID card will require ratification by at least half the states.
Apart from this, the Law Commission may also submit its report on holding simultaneous elections soon. Sources said the Law Commission may recommend simultaneous elections to the three tiers of government – Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats – from 2029 and a provision for formation of a unity government in case of a hung House.
Amit Shah had announced a day earlier
A day earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said on Tuesday (September 18) that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government will implement ‘one nation, one election’ in its current term itself.
Addressing reporters on the occasion of completion of 100 days of Prime Minister Modi’s third term, Shah said, “Our plan is to implement the system of ‘one nation, one election’ during the tenure of this government itself.”
In his address on the occasion of Independence Day last month, Prime Minister Modi had strongly advocated ‘one nation, one election’. Then PM Modi had said that frequent elections were hampering the progress of the country. PM Modi had said in his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, “The country has to come forward for ‘one nation, one election’.” ‘One nation, one election’ is one of the major promises made by the BJP in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.
A high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind had in March this year recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies as a first step. The committee also recommended holding local body elections within 100 days of Lok Sabha and assembly elections.
Besides this, the Law Commission is likely to recommend simultaneous elections for all three levels of government – Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats – from 2029. It may also recommend a provision for a unity government in case of a hung House or a no-confidence motion being passed.
The Kovind Committee did not set any time frame for implementing the system of holding simultaneous elections. It recommended 18 constitutional amendments, most of which would not require the approval of state legislatures. However, this would require some Constitution Amendment Bills that would have to be passed by Parliament.
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