Page 2 - Ram Nath Kovind

Shiv Sena's Shinde writes to Kovind in support of simultaneous elections

Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has supported the concept of simultaneous polls, saying frequent elections are not good for the economy and hamper growth. In a letter to chairman of the high-level committee on 'one nation one election' Ram Nath Kovind, Shinde said simultaneous polls are one of the "most critical reforms" proposed by the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "We strongly believe that 'one nation, one election' will lead to focused and smooth governance. With elections going on in some part or other of the country it becomes very difficult to concentrate on governance as the entire attention is focused in winning these elections," he wrote. In his January 24 letter, he said "everyone from the PM to ministers to CMs to MPs, MLAs and all leaders get involved with these elections. This causes virtual paralysis of administration at various levels". He noted that assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangan

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 ..

Do not agree with 'One Nation, One Election': CM Mamata to Kovind-led panel

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to the high-level committee on "One Nation, One Election" expressing her disagreement with the concept of simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and assemblies, and said it would be against the basic structure of India's constitutional arrangements. In a letter to the panel secretary, Banerjee said that in 1952, the first general elections were simultaneously conducted for the central and state levels. "There was such simultaneity for some years. But the coevality has since been ruptured...," she said. "I regret that I cannot agree with the concept of 'One Nation, One Election', as framed by you. We disagree with your formulation and proposal," she wrote. She said there are basic conceptual difficulties in agreeing with the committee, and the concept is not clear. The West Bengal chief minister questioned the meaning of 'One Nation' in the context, and said, "While I understand the meaning of one nation in a ...

Do not agree with One Nation, One Election: Mamata to Kovind-led panel

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to the high-level committee on "One Nation, One Election" expressing her disagreement with the concept of simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and assemblies, and said it would be against the basic structure of India's constitutional arrangements. In a letter to the panel secretary, Banerjee said that in 1952, the first general elections were simultaneously conducted for the central and state levels. "There was such simultaneity for some years. But the coevality has since been ruptured...," she said. "I regret that I cannot agree with the concept of 'One Nation, One Election', as framed by you. We disagree with your formulation and proposal," she wrote. "Non-simultaneous federal and state elections are a basic feature in the Westminster system which should not be altered. To paraphrase, non-simultaneity is part of the basic structure of the Indian Constitutional arrangements," the West Bengal chief minister said. The high-l

Kovind panel on simultaneous polls gets over 5,000 suggestions from public

The panel on 'One Nation, One Election' led by former president Ram Nath Kovind has received over 5,000 suggestions from the public on simultaneous polls, sources said on Wednesday. Last week, the high-level committee had invited suggestions from the public "for making appropriate changes in the existing legal administrative framework to enable simultaneous elections in the country". The sources said over 5,000 emails have been received so far. In a public notice, the high-level committee had said the suggestions received by January 15 would be taken up for consideration. The committee has so far held two meetings since it was constituted in September last year. It had also recently written to political parties seeking their views and an interaction on a "mutually agreed date" on the idea of holding simultaneous polls. It had later sent a reminder to the parties. Letters were sent to six national parties, 33 state parties and seven registered unrecognised parties. The committee h

Kovind-led panel on simultaneous polls invites suggestions from public

The panel on 'One Nation, One Election' led by former president Ram Nath Kovind has invited suggestions from the public "for making appropriate changes in the existing legal administrative framework to enable simultaneous elections in the country". In a public notice, the high-level committee said the suggestions received by January 15 would be taken up for consideration. The suggestions can be posted on the committee's website onoe.gov.in or sent by e-mail to sc-hlc@gov.in, the notice said. The committee has held two meetings since it was constituted in September last year. It had also recently written to political parties seeking their views and an interaction on a "mutually agreed date" on the idea of holding simultaneous polls. It had later sent a reminder to the parties. Letters were sent to six national parties, 33 state parties and seven registered unrecognised parties. The committee has also heard the views of the Law Commission on simultaneous polls. The law panel could b

One nation, one election in national interest, says former Prez Kovind

Former president Ram Nath Kovind, who heads the committee to explore the possibility of "one nation, one election", said holding simultaneous polls is in the national interest and has got nothing to do with any particular political party. "Holding simultaneous elections will be beneficial for the public as the revenue saved will be used for development work," the former president, on a private visit here, told reporters on Monday night. "I am requesting all the political parties to cooperate as this is in the national interest. No political party has got anything to do with it," he stressed. The government constituted the high-level eight-member committee, headed by Kovind, earlier this year. The former president said, "Many committees such as the parliamentary committee, Niti Aayog, Election Commission of India, and others have said that the tradition of 'one nation one election' needs to be revived in the country." "The government has constituted a committee for the purpose and

Second committee meet on 'One Nation One Elections' concludes in Delhi

The central idea behind 'One Nation One Election' is to synchronize the timing of Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections across all States to reduce the frequency of polls throughout the country

Roadmap on simultaneous polls with Kovind committee to be shared on Oct 25

The Law Commission will share next week its roadmap on holding simultaneous polls with the high-level committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind. The panel has invited the Law Commission on October 25 to seek its views on how simultaneous polls can be held in the country. The high-level panel, which had in its first meeting recently decided to seek views of political parties, has now written to them to elicit their views on holding sustainable simultaneous polls in the country. In a communication to the parties, it has sought an interaction with with them on a "mutually agreed date", sources said citing the letter. They said parties have also been given an option to send their views in writing in the next three months. Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi-headed law panel is working on a formula to synchronise all assembly polls by extending or reducing the tenure so that these elections can be held along with Lok Sabha polls 2029 onwards. The law panel is devising a mechanism to e

Democracy, ONOP, governance

Democracies are withering everywhere and require constant reform. In India, one-nation-one-poll is a good idea, but it cannot work as a standalone reform

First meeting of committee on simultaneous polls on Sept 23: Kovind

The first meeting of the the high-level committee to examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous polls will be held on September 23, said former president Ram Nath Kovind, who heads it. The government on September 2 notified the eight-member committee to examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats. "The first meeting will take place on September 23," Kovind told reporters here on Saturday. He was in Bhubaneswar to attend the convocation of a private university.

One Nation, One Election: Home Minister Shah, Meghwal to meet Kovind

Home Minister Amit Shah and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal would meet former president and head of the panel on simultaneous polls Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday afternoon, sources said. On Saturday, the government had notified a high-level committee under Kovind to look into and make recommendations on the issue of holding synchronised polls to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies. While Shah is a member of the committee, Meghwal is a special invitee. On Sunday, top law ministry officials had briefed Kovind and had sought to know how he would like to go about the mandate of the committee.

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

Voting simultaneously

Kovind committee should consult extensively

Law ministry officials brief panel chairman Kovind on simultaneous polls

Top officials of the Union Law Ministry on Sunday held a preparatory briefing for former president Ram Nath Kovind who heads the high-level committee to examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies. The government had on Saturday notified the eight-member committee. People aware of the development said, Law Secretary Niten Chandra, Legislative Secretary Reeta Vasishta and others met Kovind this afternoon to understand how he would like to go about the agenda before the committee. While Chandra is also the secretary to the high-level committee, Vasistha's department deals with the issue of elections, the Representation of the People Act and related rules.

'One Nation, One Election': Govt sets up panel under ex-President Kovind

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President J P Nadda called on Kovind after the government made public its decision to set up the committee

One nation, one election: All you need to know about simultaneous elections

Centre has constituted a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of 'one nation, one election'

Barring Modi, no other PM has spoken about building toilets: Kovind

Former president Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday said barring Narendra Modi, who spoke about building toilets from the ramparts of the Red Fort, no other prime minister had laid stress on the subject. Kovind was speaking at the National Conference on Sociology of Sanitation where Modi's message was also read out. The prime minister's message said: "Making people aware of the transformational outcomes of sanitation and cleanliness will also help in preparing domain-specific professionals and generate more opportunities for employment and self-employment." Speaking at the event, Kovind recalled the words of Mahatma Gandhi, who had always prioritised cleanliness. "Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi used to say cleanliness is next to godliness. Just like when the heart is not pure, one cannot gain god's blessings, in the same way, if our body is not clean, we cannot gain god's blessings. "How can one's body be clean when one is staying in an unclean place?" he asked. The former president

President Murmu speech to give report card on defence and security

A year after then President Ram Nath Kovind's January 31, 2022 speech, Murmu's speech will reveal the extent to which the government has implemented the pledges he made

Kovind to be chief guest at Lokmat Parliamentary Awards event on Mar 14

India's former President Ram Nath Kovind will be the chief guest at the 4th edition of Lokmat Parliamentary Awards function to be held on March 14. Chairman of the editorial board of Lokmat Media Group and former Rajya Sabha member Vijay Darda called on Kovind in New Delhi on Wednesday and invited him to be the chief guest at the function. The former president has accepted the request to grace the event to be held in the national capital, a Lokmat Media release said. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Biju Janata Dal's Bhartruhari Mahtab, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien, Nationalist Congress Party's Vandana Chavan, Bharatiya Janata Party MPs Tejasvi Surya and Locket Chatterjee, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Manoj Kumar Jha have been unanimously selected as recipients for the fourth (2022) edition of the Lokmat Parliamentary Awards, it said. The awards are given annually to members of Parliament in .