One Nation One Election: High level Committee submits Report to President Murmu

TNI Bureau: The High level Committee (HLC) on One Nation, One Election (Simultaneous Elections) reportedly submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu today.

The HLC met the president under the Chairmanship of Ram Nath Kovind, the former President of India, and submitted a 18,626 page report after 191 days of extensive consultations with stakeholders, experts and research work.

Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, former Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chairman of 15th Finance Commission N.K. Singh, former Secretary General of Lok Sabha Dr. Subhash C. Kashyap, Senior Advocate Harish Salve, and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari were the other members of the Committee to were present while the report was submitted.

Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Law and Justice was a Special Invitee and Dr. Niten Chandra was the Secretary of the HLC.

After careful consideration of all suggestions and viewpoints, the Committee recommends a two-step approach to lead to the simultaneous elections.

As the first step, simultaneous elections will be held for the House of the People and the State Legislative Assemblies.

In the second step, elections to the Municipalities and the Panchayats will be synchronized with the House of the People and the State Legislative Assemblies in such a way that Municipalities and Panchayats elections are held within hundred days of holding elections to the House of the People and the State Legislative Assemblies.

The Committee also recommends that there should be a single electoral roll and Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) for use in elections to all the three tiers of Government.

In tune with its mandate to explore the mechanism for simultaneous elections, and keeping in view the existing framework of the Constitution, the Committee has crafted its recommendations in such a way that they are in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution of India and would require bare minimum amendments to the Constitution.

Upon all-inclusive deliberations, the Committee concludes that its recommendations will significantly enhance transparency, inclusivity, ease and confidence of the voters. Overwhelming support for holding simultaneous elections will spur development process and social cohesion, deepen the foundations of our democratic rubric, and realize the aspirations of India, that is Bharat.