Informist, Wednesday, Sep 18, 2024

--Cabinet accepts proposal for One Nation One Election

--Cabinet accepts Kovind panel proposals on simultaneous polls

--Govt: Kovind panel suggested simultaneous polls rollout in 2 phases

--Govt: To set up group to implement Kovind panel suggestions

--Minister: Will look to create consensus for one nation, one poll

--Minister: Will bring simultaneous poll legislation post consensus

NEW DELHI - The Union Cabinet has accepted the proposal of 'One Nation, One Election', Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said today. The Cabinet accepted the recommendations of the high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind to examine the feasibility of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state legislative Assemblies and local bodies.

The Kovind-led panel, which was formed last year, had recommended holding simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies as the first step, followed by local body elections within 100 days as the second step. The panel had not specified any period for rolling out the plan.

The government will bring legislation for simultaneous polls after a consensus is reached with various stakeholders, Vaishnaw said at a press conference detailing the Cabinet's decisions.

When asked if the simultaneous elections can be held in 2029, when the next General Election is due, Vaishnaw said, "we will create consensus and once the entire legal processes are completed, then we will be able to say which election will be the first with simultaneous polls".

Vaishnaw also said that there will be "good positive economic implications" because of simultaneous polls.

The Kovind panel had proposed the creation of an "Implementation Group" to look into execution of its recommendations. The panel recommended as many as 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not need to be ratified by the state Assemblies. Vaishnaw said the government will set up a group to implement the panel's suggestions.

The Opposition has been critical of 'One Nation, One Election' plan and has sought its dissolution. "There is no place for the concept of simultaneous elections in a country that has adopted a Parliamentary system of government. Such forms of simultaneous elections that are being floated by the government go against the guarantees of federalism contained in the Constitution," Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had said in a letter to the committee's secretary Niten Chandra in January.

Vaishnaw today said that a large number of political parties have supported the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative. "This (simultaneous polls) is a subject that will really strengthen the democracy, the Centre-state relations, will make sure the country grows at a much faster pace," he said. End

Reported by Shubham Rana

Edited by Vandana Hingorani

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt Ltd.

Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2024. All rights reserved.