Kovind-led Committee unanimously backs One Nation One Election, presents report to President Murmu

Former President Ram Nath Kovind-led committee advocates for the adoption of simultaneous elections, emphasising its potential to revolutionise the electoral process and governance. The committee's report, submitted to President Droupadi Murmu, highlights key recommendations for implementing the 'One Nation, One Election’.

The eight-member committee include Amit Shah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, NK Singh, Subhash C Kashyap, Harish Salve and Sanjay Kothari. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will attend the committee meetings as a special invitee, while Law Secretary Niten Chandra will be the secretary to the panel.

The proposal entails aligning state assembly elections with the Lok Sabha polls, aiming for synchronisation by 2029. The committee urges the government to enact necessary amendments to facilitate this transition.

The committee proposes a phased implementation of simultaneous elections. Initially, elections will be synchronised for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Subsequently, elections for Municipalities and Panchayats will align with the Lok Sabha and State Assembly polls.

Notification of One Nation One Election to occur following General Elections.

Single electoral roll and Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to be utilised across all tiers of government.

Elections following a no-confidence motion or a hung House should only fill the remaining term of the Lok Sabha.

The report underscores the detrimental impact of desynchronised elections on the economy, polity, and society post-independence. It urges the government to establish a legally robust mechanism to reinstate simultaneous elections, suggesting that Constitutional amendments may not require separate state ratification.

The committee highlights the potential benefits of simultaneous elections, including:

Optimisation of resources and governance efficiency.

Mitigation of disruptions and policy paralysis due to the model code of conduct.

Enhanced voter turnout and engagement.

Facilitation of business continuity and reduced wage losses for migrant workers.

The report, spanning 18,626 pages, is the culmination of rigorous consultations, expert opinions, and research conducted over 191 days since its inception on September 2, 2023. The report said 47 political parties submitted their views and suggestions in which 32 parties backed simultaneous elections.

Another 21,558 responses were received from citizens across the country and 80% of respondents supported simultaneous elections. The views of four former chief justices of India, 12 former chief justices of major high courts, four former chief election commissioners and the election commission were sought.