Kovind discusses simultaneous elections with former CJI U U Lalit, others

Former president and head of the high-level committee on one nation, one election Ram Nath Kovind has held consultations with former chief justice of India U U Lalit and the Bar Council of India on the issue of simultaneous polls.

Continuing his deliberations with retired judges, Kovind also met former chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Manan Kumar Mishra, chairman of the Bar Council of India, who gave their considered opinion on the subject, an official statement said on Saturday.

It also said the committee held its fresh meeting on Saturday in which a presentation was made based on the research paper Macroeconomic Impact of Harmonising Electoral Cycles, Evidences from India' co-authored by panel member and former Finance Commission head N K Singh and Prachi Mishra.

The paper indicated that simultaneous elections would precipitate higher economic growth, and result in more government investment in expenditure on capital and revenue.

Saturday's meeting was attended by the former leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, N K Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash C Kashyap, former CVC Sanjay Kothari, and senior advocate Harish Salve.

It was the fourth meeting of the committee.

Continuing his discussions with political parties, Kovind held interactions with Deepak Pandurang' Dhavalikar, president of the Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party, Goa, the statement said.

"The party has offered its strong support to the concept of one nation, one election, inter alia because it will strengthen grassroots democracy," the statement said.