New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to hold simultaneous elections in India, based on the recommendations of a high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
Addressing the media, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the simultaneous polls would take place in two phases.
“The first phase will cover Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections, while the second phase will cover local body elections, within 100 days of the first phase,” he said.
He also noted, “A common electoral roll will be made for all elections… an implementation group will be formed to take forward the recommendations of the Kovind panel.”
The Modi government in its second term had set up the panel to explore the feasibility of simultaneous elections, a key promise in the BJP’s Lok Sabha poll manifesto. The panel submitted its report to the President in March of this year.
The Kovind committee proposed simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the initial step, for which no state approval is required for the necessary constitutional amendment.
In its extensive 18,626-page report, the panel recommended a “one-time transitory measure,” calling for the Union government to set an “appointed date” after a Lok Sabha election.
All state assemblies that go to poll after this date would have their terms in sync with that of the Parliament, thereby bringing into line the electoral cycles of the Central and state governments.
The second step would involve holding municipality and panchayat elections within 100 days of the Lok Sabha and state elections.
To prevent disruption of the synchronized election cycle due to premature dissolution of Parliament or state assemblies, the committee suggested holding fresh elections only for the “unexpired term” until the next simultaneous polls are scheduled.
Despite a reduced tally for the BJP in the Lok Sabha, the NDA government has consistently expressed its intention to move forward with simultaneous elections, which will require constitutional amendments.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah affirmed on Tuesday that the “one nation, one election” initiative will be implemented during the current term of the BJP-led NDA government while discussing the achievements of the government in the first 100 days since the Lok Sabha elections.
In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi urged national unity in support of the simultaneous poll legislation, arguing that such elections are the “need of the hour.”
He emphasized that frequent elections hinder the country’s progress.
However, several opposition parties, including Congress, AAP, and Shiv Sena (UBT), have opposed the plan, claiming it would favour the ruling party at the Centre. Meanwhile, NDA allies like JD(U) and Chirag Paswan’s party have expressed their support for the proposal.
