Kovind to hold first meeting of 'One Nation, One Election' panel today

Centre had formed a committee last week to explore the possibility of 'One Nation, One Election,' which envisages the holding of general election and state Assembly elections simultaneously

Former President Ram Nath Kovind will hold the first official meeting of the "One Nation, One Election" committee at his residence in Delhi on Wednesday, news agency ANI reported, citing sources.

The Centre formed an eight-member committee last week to explore the possibility of "One Nation, One Election," which envisages the holding of general election and state Assembly elections simultaneously.

Informing about the decision, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, "Right now, a committee has been constituted. A report from the committee will come out which will be discussed. The Parliament is mature, and discussions will take place, there is no need to get nervous. India is called the mother of democracy, there is always an evolution. I will discuss the agenda of the Special session of Parliament."

Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and former Finance Commission chairman N K Singh were appointed as the members of the committee.

Chowdhury later declined to serve on the panel, saying its "terms of reference have been prepared in a manner to guarantee its conclusions".

BJP welcomed the "One Nation, One Election" move and said that it is the necessity of the day, adding that the money spent on elections and that money can be used for welfare schemes.

Shah wrote a letter to Law Commission Chairman BS Chauhan, batting for the "One Nation One Election" system. In his letter, he emphasised that the Model Code of Conduct impedes the government's developmental work with multiple elections happening throughout the year.

In the letter, written in Hindi, the BJP chief cited the examples of Indonesia, Sweden, South Africa, Belgium and Italy, where simultaneous elections have proved to be successful. Shah further elucidated how One Nation One Election is not a kin to the Indian electoral system.

Shah said that in India, elections keep taking place throughout the year in one state or the other, usually in one five-year Lok Sabha; on average, five to seven states go for assembly elections each year along with polls for local bodies.

"Due to the present process of elections, a situation is created where the entire country is always in the election mode whether at national, state or local administration level due to which the national treasury has to take a huge load for the smooth conduct of these periodic polls. This expenditure can be cut down by holding all such elections simultaneously in five years," Shah said.

With five states going to the polls later this year and a few more to go to the polls with the General Elections due in 2024, there is speculation that "One Nation, One Election" could soon become a reality.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has several times pitched the idea of "One Nation, One Election". In November 2020, while addressing a conference of presiding officers, he said, "One nation, one election is not only a subject of debate but a necessity for India. There is an election in India every month, which hampers development."

(With agency inputs)