Cabinet clears ‘one nation, one election’ plan

Kovind panel’s report approved, sets stage for simultaneous polls

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal for ‘one nation, one Election’ as recommended by the Kovind panel, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday. The report of the high-level committee on ‘one nation, one election’ was placed before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. The panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind had submitted the report in March ahead of the announcement of Lok Sabha elections.

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Vaishnaw said the report was approved unanimously. Placing the report before the Cabinet was a part of the law ministry’s 100-day agenda. The high-level committee had recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.

A voter posing after casting his vote during the Lok Sabha election in May 2024 in Maharashtra. Pic/Satej Shinde

The panel had also proposed setting up of an ‘Implementation Group’ to look into the execution of the recommendations made by the committee. The panel also recommended the preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in consultation with state election authorities.

At present, the ECI is responsible for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, while the local body polls for municipalities and panchayats are managed by state election commissions. The panel recommended as many as 18 Constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by state Assemblies.

Not practical: Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said ‘one nation, one election’ was not practical and alleged that the BJP comes up with such things to divert attention from real issues when elections approach. His remarks came after the report of the high-level committee on ‘one nation, one election’ was placed before the Union Cabinet. Asked about the issue, Kharge said, “It is not practical. It will not work. When elections come, and they are not getting any issues to raise, then they divert attention from real issues.”

BJP’s ‘cheap stunt’: Derek O’Brien

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien on Wednesday called ‘one nation, one election’ a “cheap stunt” of the BJP, and questioned why Maharashtra elections were not announced with Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir if the government wants simultaneous elections. “One nation, one election is just another cheap stunt by the anti-democratic BJP. Why were Maharashtra elections not announced along with elections in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir?” O’Brien said.

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