Former President Ram Nath Kovind presided over the inaugural meeting of a high-level committee concerning synchronized elections, often referred to as 'One Nation, One Election,' within the country. This eight-member panel has resolved to extend invitations to members of political parties and the Law Commission to solicit their perspectives on the matter, as stated in an official announcement.
Notable attendees at the initial gathering included Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, former Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chairman of the Finance Commission N K Singh, former Lok Sabha Secretary-General Subhash C Kashyap, and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari. Eminent lawyer Harish Salve participated in the meeting through virtual means.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, opted out of the meeting and conveyed his decision to Amit Shah in a letter, consequently not being present at the event. In his letter, Chowdhury expressed reluctance to be part of a committee whose terms of reference, he believed, were structured to predetermine its outcomes, deeming it a mere charade.
Furthermore, the opposition alliance INDIA criticized the formation of the high-level panel, viewing it as a potential threat to the federal structure of the country.
On September 2, the government instructed the committee to expedite the process of offering recommendations regarding the possibility of holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state legislatures, municipal bodies, and panchayats, according to news agency PTI.
The high-level committee resolved to extend invitations to recognized national political parties, parties governing states, those with representation in Parliament, and other recognized regional parties, seeking their input and perspectives on the issue of synchronized elections in India. Additionally, the Law Commission will also be invited to provide its recommendations and viewpoints on this matter, as stated in a statement released by the high-level committee.
The committee's primary task is to scrutinize and suggest specific amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, and any other laws and regulations requiring modifications to facilitate the implementation of simultaneous elections.
