High-Level Committee on ‘One Nation, One Election’ Unveils Roadmap to Former President Ram Nath Kovind
High-Level Committee on 'One Nation, One Election' Unveils Roadmap to Former President Ram Nath Kovind
New Delhi, October 26, 2023 – In a significant development, the Law Commission presented a comprehensive roadmap to facilitate ‘One Nation, One Election,’ which encompasses potential Constitutional amendments for synchronized elections.
The proposal was formally submitted to a high-level committee led by former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. This committee has now been officially renamed the High-Level Committee (HLC) on ‘One Nation, One Election,’ as announced by the Law Ministry.
During the second meeting of the ‘One Nation, One Election Committee,’ chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind and held in New Delhi, Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation, Amit Shah, along with other distinguished dignitaries, were in attendance on October 25, 2023.
The high-level committee, now known as the HLC, also acknowledged the resignation of Adhir Ranjan Choudhury, leader of the single largest party in the Lok Sabha, from his membership in the committee.
The Law Ministry had initially tasked the Law Commission with examining the feasibility of conducting simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. However, the Kovind-led HLC is set to expand its scope to explore the viability of holding Lok Sabha, Assembly, panchayat, and municipality elections simultaneously.
Insider sources have suggested that the Law Commission might be invited for further consultations, as certain aspects still require examination, and the final report remains pending. The Law Commission is actively developing a plan to harmonize Assembly elections by extending or shortening their tenures, ensuring they align with the 2029 Lok Sabha elections onwards.
The Law Commission, during the meeting, delivered a presentation outlining its suggestions and perspectives on the issue of synchronized elections in the nation.
In its inaugural meeting, the HLC decided to solicit the opinions of political parties, and it has now dispatched letters to six national parties, 33 state parties, and seven registered unrecognised parties, seeking their input on ‘One Nation, One Election.’
Additionally, the committee has approved a budgetary allocation for the ongoing fiscal year 2023-24.
Prominent figures attending the meeting included Home Minister Amit Shah, former Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, former Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission N.K. Singh, former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash C. Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve, and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari.
