2 Sep 2023 2:45 PM GMT
The Central Government has notified the constitution of a 'High Level Committee' to examine the concept of 'one nation, one election' (simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha State Legislative Assemblies and local bodies).
The Committee will be headed by former President of India Ram Nath Kovind.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Former Leader of Opposition of Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Senior Advocate Harish Salve, Former Secretary General of Lok Sabha Dr Subhash C Kashyap, and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari are the members of the Committee.
The Committee has been asked to give its recommendations "at the earliest".
As per the notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, the terms and reference of the HLC shall be to—
(a) examine and make recommendation 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;
(b) examine and recommend, if the amendments to the Constitution would require ratification by the States;
(c) analyse and recommend possible solution in a scenario of simultaneous elections emerging out of hung House, adoption of no-confidence motion, or defection or any such other event;
(d) suggest a framework for synchronisation of elections and specifically, suggest the phases and time frame within which simultaneous elections may be held if they cannot be held in one go and also suggest any amendments to the Constitution and other laws in this regard and propose such rules that may be required in such circumstances;
(e) recommend necessary safeguards for ensuring the continuity of the cycle of simultaneous elections and recommend necessary amendments to the Constitution, so that the cycle of simultaneous elections is not disturbed;
(f) examine the logistics and manpower required, including EVMs, VVPATs, etc., for holding such simultaneous elections;
(g) examine and recommend the modalities of use of a single electoral roll and electoral identity cards for identification of voters in elections to the House of the People (Lok Sabha), State Legislative Assemblies, Municipalities and Panchayats.
"The HLC may hear and entertain all persons, representations and communications which in the opinion of the HLC shall facilitate its work and enable it to finalise its recommendations." the notification says.
In 2018, the Law Commission of India had favoured the proposal for simultaneous elections, by saying :
"This cycle of elections every year, and in the out of season, should be put an end to. We must go back to the situation where the elections to Lok Sabha and all the Legislative Assemblies are held at once. It is true that we cannot conceive or provide for all the situations and eventualities that may arise whether on account of the use of Article 356 (which of course has come down substantially af ter the decision of Supreme Court in S.R. Bommai vs Union of India) or for other reasons, yet the holding of a separate election to a Legislative Assembly should be an exception and not the rule. The rule ought to be ‘one election once in five years for Lok Sabha and all the Legislative Assemblies"