Significant step forward by BJP govt on ambitious plan for simultaneous elections across the country

The union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the Ram Nath Kovind committee recommendations to holding simultaneous elections in the country through the use of common electoral rolls.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the cabinet decision and said the agenda of simultaneous elections was passed unanimously and all BJP allies were on board. The minister said the cabinet accepted the panel’s suggestions to roll out the plan in two phases.

“In the first phase, simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies will be held. In the second phase, all local body elections will be held within 100 days of the conclusion of the national election so that for the next five years, everyone can work to further the mission of national development," Vaishnaw said.

The government said the “One nation, one election” idea would be implemented through consensus and an implementation committee would be constituted to finalise the rollout plan, which would require legal processes and constitutional requirements to be met.

The Tribune reported on Tuesday that the government had decided to implement the “One nation, one election” plan in the current tenure of the NDA government.

Vaishnaw, however, did not put a date to the rollout plan but said once consensus was achieved and legal requirements met, the plan would be implemented.

Home Minister Amit Shah had yesterday said the plan would be implemented in this very tenure of the Modi government.

Vaishnaw said the Kovind panel received widespread support for the simultaneous election plan during its meetings and a large number of political parties also backed the idea, which was mooted much before the 2024 General Election.

Vaishnaw said the simultaneous elections would have a good positive economic impact, strengthen democracy, remove impediments to growth and enhance national progress.

“We call upon everyone to engage in detailed discussions on the plan,” Vaishnaw said, adding that the discussions would be held nationally.

The idea received a boost when the parliament committee on law and justice backed it in 2021. “Our country remains in election mode throughout the year. We are of the view that the idea of “One nation, one election” is not new to our country as the first three elections (1952, 1957 and 1962) were held simultaneously,” said the panel, giving the government a reason to move forward with the agenda.

Conducting simultaneous elections would entail amendment to the Constitution to have fixed terms for local bodies, legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha. Amendments would also be required for common electoral rolls. The government then established a committee under former President Ram Nath Kovind to examine the issue and the panel submitted its 18,626-page report to President Droupadi Murmu in March this year.

As many as 47 political parties sent their suggestions to the Kovind committee, with 32, mainly BJP and allies, supporting the concept and 15 opposing it.

Of the 32 supporters, 26 are part of the ruling NDA coalition. Among the 15 parties that resisted the idea, 10 are from the opposition INDIA bloc led by the Congress.

Courtesy: The Tribune India :18th Sep , 2024