Ram Nath Kovind panel recommends 'One Nation, One Election' after Lok Sabha Elections 2024
The High-Powered Committee on 'One Nation, One Election' has recommended holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies after the 2024 General Elections. They also propose amendments to Articles 324 and 325 for simultaneous elections for local bodies. Amendments to Articles 83 and 172 are suggested for implementing these changes.
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FollowThe High-Powered Committee on 'One Nation, One Election' has reportedly put forth recommendations advocating for simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies following the 2024 General Elections. Additionally, the committee has proposed amendments to Articles 324 and 325 of the Constitution to enable concurrent elections for local bodies.
According to the committee, amendments to the Constitution would be necessary only for holding simultaneous elections for local bodies, not for conducting simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and assemblies. Moreover, the committee suggests that in the event of a hung house or a no-confidence motion, fresh elections should be conducted, and the tenure of the government would be limited to the remaining term of the Lok Sabha.
In light of these proposals, amendments to Article 83 and Article 172 are recommended to facilitate the implementation of simultaneous elections at both the national and state levels.
Here's what the High Powered Committee report saysÂ
'The Committee recommends introduction of Article 324A for enabling simultaneous elections in Panchayats and Municipalities with the General elections of the House of the People and the State Legislative Assemblies and amendment in Article 325 for enabling Single Electoral Roll and Single Elector's Photo Identity Card, which shall be prepared by the Election Commission of India in consultation with the State Election Commissions) and the same will substitute any other electoral roll prepared by Election Commission of India under Article 325 or State Election Commissions) under Articles 243K and 243ZA of the Constitution of India. Since these amendments touch upon State subjects (Entry 5) of Schedule VI, Part IX, and Part IX A of the Constitution of India, ratification by the States will be required under Article 368(2) of the Constitution of India. However, implementing step one, which is simultaneous elections to House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies, does not necessitate ratification by the States.'
It further goes on to state:
'The Committee recommends that in the first step, simultaneous elections to the House of the people and the state legislative assemblies be held. In the second step, the elections to municipalities and panchayats will be synchronized with the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies in such a way that elections to municipalities and panchayats are held within a hundred days of the holding of elections of the House of the People and the State Legislative Assemblies.'
'For the purpose of synchronisation of elections to the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies, the Committee recommends that the President of India may, by notification, issued on the date of the first sitting of the House of the People after a General election, bring into force the provision of this Article, and that date of the notification shall be called the Appointed date. And the tenure of all state legislative assemblies, constituted by elections to the State Legislative Assemblies after the appointed date and before the expiry of the full term of the House of the People, shall be only for the period ending up to the subsequent General elections to the House of the People. Thereafter, all General elections to the House of the People and all State Legislative Assemblies shall be held together simultaneously.'
