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Amit Shah, Adhir Chowdhury, Ghulam Nabi in ‘one nation-one election’ committee
One nation-one election committee will start its function immediately, the law ministry mandated in its notification on Saturday.
The law ministry on Saturday notified the formation of a high-level committee to examine the proposal of simultaneous elections under the chairmanship of former president Ram Nath Kovind. Union home minister Amit Shah, Congress Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former leader of opposition Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, former chairman of 15th Finance Commission NK Singh, former Lok Sabha general secretary Subash Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve, former chief vigilance commissioner Sanjay Kothari will be members of the committee. Minister of state (law) Arjun Ram Meghwal will attend the meetings of the high-level committee as a special invitee.
One nation one election committee: What will they study?
As mandated in the notification, the committee will examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections to the House of the People (Lok Sabha), State Legislative Assemblies, Municipalities and Panchayats, keeping in view the existing framework under the Constitution of India and other statutory provisions, and for that purpose, examine and recommend specific amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the rules made thereunder and any other law or rules which would require amendments for the purpose of holding simultaneous elections.
The committee will analyse and recommend possible solutions if there are scenarios like hung House, adoption of no-confidence motion or defection. The eight-member committee will suggest a framework for the synchronisation of the elections and also the time frame within which the simultaneous elections may be held. "The committee will examine the logistics and manpower required, including EVMs, VVPATs etc, for holding such simultaneous elections," the notification said.
What is ‘one nation-one election’?
Simultaneous elections for the state assemblies and the Lok Sabha were held till 1967. However, in 1968 and 1969, some legislative assemblies were dissolved prematurely followed by the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in 1970. This forced a change in electoral schedules for the states and the country. The law commission in its 170th report recommended simultaneous elections to election expenses. "The rule ought to be ‘one election once in five years for Lok Sabha and all the Legislative Assemblies," the law commission report said.
The terms of at least 10 state assemblies will end before or around the time when the Lok Sabha election 2024 is to be held. While Assembly elections in five states -- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh -- are due by the end of this year, polls in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Jharkhand are likely to be held along with the Lok Sabha elections.
The discussion over one nation, one election started afresh after the government called a special session of Parliament from September 18 to 22 without citing any reason.
