'One Nation, One Election': AAP leaders meet Kovind-led panel, oppose idea of simultaneous polls

Opposition parties such as the CPI and CPI(M) had met the panel recently.

A delegation of AAP leaders on Thursday met the high-level committee on 'One Nation, One Election' and opposed the idea of simultaneous polls. The government had in September last year notified the panel under former president Ram Nath Kovind to examine and make recommendations at the earliest on the issue of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats.

Senior AAP leader Jasmine Shah who along with Pankaj Gupta met Kovind said in a post on X that the AAP is "vehemently" opposed to simultaneous polls in the country. "Met former President Sh. Ram Nath Kovind and other members of the high-level Committee for 'One Nation, One Election' today along with AAP national secretary Pankaj Gupta to present the views of Aam Aadmi Party," Shah said in his post. He said simultaneous polls will dilute voter accountability and the tenets of the Constitution and democracy cannot be sacrificed for "narrow financial gains or administrative convenience".

The AAP leaders during the meeting with the committee also pointed out "flawed nature" of the current consultation which is taking place on a vague idea without any policy draft on the table. Opposition parties such as the CPI and CPI(M) had met the panel recently.