One nation, One election is our commitment: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the implementation of ‘One nation, One election’ which is one of the key promises made by his party-BJP in its poll manifesto is the “commitment” of his government.

In an interview with ANI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the committee formed under chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind to prepare the report on One nation, One election, received very positive and innovative suggestions.

“One nation, One election is our commitment. We have talked about this in parliament as well. We have also formed a committee. The committee has also submitted its report. So in terms of One nation, One election, many people have come on-board in the country. Many people have given their suggestions to the committee. The committee received very positive and innovative suggestions and the country will benefit a lot if we are able to implement this report,” the PM said.

The idea of “One nation, One election” have gained prominence in the BJP’s poll manifesto that was released on Sunday in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh among others.

“We have set up a High-Powered Committee to examine the issues of conducting simultaneous elections and will work towards the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee,” reads the manifesto regarding the implementation of ONOE.

The manifesto also promises a common electoral roll.

The central government in September last year constituted a high-level Committee to examine the issue of ‘One Nation, One Election’ and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections in the country.

The report, comprising 18,626 pages, is an outcome of extensive consultations with stakeholders, experts and research work over 191 days, since the constitution of the High-Level Committee on September 2, 2023.

The Committee was briefed by these bodies that intermittent elections had adverse consequences on economic growth, quality of public expenditure, and educational and other outcomes, besides upsetting social harmony.

In its report submitted to President Droupadi Murmu last month, the High Level Committee made several recommendations such as the elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies should be held at the same time and, subsequently, elections to local bodies (municipalities and panchayats) too should be “synchronised” so that they are held within 100 days of the simultaneous state and national elections.

The committee recommended that in the first step: simultaneous elections can be held for Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

This can be followed in the second step with holding elections to Municipalities and Panchayats within 100 days.

The Committee recommends that in the event of a hung House, a no-confidence motion constitutes the new House, fresh elections may be held for the remainder of the five-year term.

Where fresh elections are held for the State Legislative Assemblies, then such new Legislative Assembly unless it is dissolved sooner, shall continue up to the end of the end of the term of the Lok Sabha, the committee report stated. A Constitution Amendment Bill will have to be introduced in the Parliament amending Article 83 (Duration of Houses of Parliament) and Article 172 (Duration of State Legislatures). This Constitutional Amendment will not seed ratification by the States, the report said.

Other members of the Committee are Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, NK Singh, former Chairman, of the 15th Finance Commission, Subhash C Kashyap, former Secretary General, Lok Sabha, Harish Salve, Senior Advocate, and Sanjay Kothari, former Chief Vigilance Commissioner. Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Law and Justice was a Special Invitee and Dr Niten Chandra was the Secretary of the high level panel. (ANI)

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