Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on September 18 approved the report of the committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind on the ‘One Nation One Election’
proposal that recommended simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha, state Assemblies as well as local bodies. Addressing media, I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Cabinet had accepted the Kovind panel’s report, but did not provide a timeline for when ONOE will be rolled out. He only said that extensive consultations will be held and an implementation group formed.
In its 18,626-page report, the committee has recommended the conduct of simultaneous elections in two steps. In the first step, simultaneous elections will be held to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies and in the second, elections will be held to municipalities and panchayat bodies within 100 days of the LS and Assembly elections.
In order to conduct simultaneous elections to municipal and panchayat bodies along with the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, the committee recommended introduction of Article 324A in the Constitution. It also recommended amendment to Article 325 for enabling a single electoral roll and single elector’s photo identity cards.
The report said this will require ratification by states (with a one-third majority), but the implementation of simultaneous elections LS and Assemblies will not require such ratification.
