Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, a committee on "One Nation One Election" led by former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted a report to President Droupadi Murmu. The report, which recommended holding simultaneous parliamentary, assembly and local body polls in the country in 2029, runs into 18,000 pages.
The other members of the panel are - Home Minister Amit Shah, former leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former finance commission chairman N K Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash Kashyap and senior advocate Harish Salve.
Concept
The main idea is that polls for Lok Sabha and all state assemblies across India will be held simultaneously. PM Modi has been a strong proponent of the "One Nation, One Election" since coming to power in 2014. He has been citing financial burden caused by the continuous election cycle and an obstacle to development work during polls. Kovind too had expressed his support for the idea after becoming President in 2017. The committee was set up in September 2023.
'Panel's suggestion'
•Simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha, state assembly elections can be held in the first step. After this, local body polls need to be held within 100 days.
•In case of hung House, no-confidence motion, fresh polls can be held for remainder of five-year term.
•For the first simultaneous polls, tenure of all state assemblies can be for period ending up to subsequent Lok Sabha elections.
• Election Commission to prepare one electoral roll, voter ID cards in consultation with state poll authorities for Lok Sabha, assembly and local body elections.
•The panel recommended boosting equipment, manpower and security forces for holding simultaneous polls.
Pros
• Reduction in the cost of conducting elections
• Easing the burden on administrative and security forces who otherwise are engaged multiple times in election duties
• Government can focus more on governance rather than being in an election mode
• Simultaneous elections, according to the Law Commission, will increase voter turnout because it will be more easy for people to cast many ballots at once.
Cons
• Changes would be required in the Constitution and other legal frameworks
• Regional issues might get overshadowed by the national issues
• Agreement among all political parties remains a significant hurdle
Critics have raised concerns about the democratic spirit, dominance of national issues over local, and the need for constitutional amendments.
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