Vikrant Shekhawat : Sep 18, 2024, 05:15 PM
One Nation One Election: Modi government has taken another big step towards 'One Nation-One Election'. The Modi cabinet has approved the recommendations of the committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind. This report was submitted in March this year, in which it was suggested to hold Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously. It is discussed that the NDA government is preparing to bring a bill in this regard in Parliament.Recommendations of Kovind CommitteeThe Kovind Committee submitted a detailed report of 18,626 pages after consultations with experts and various stakeholders for 191 days. Some important recommendations have been made in the report:Extension of the tenure of states: It has been suggested to extend the tenure of the Legislative Assemblies of all the states till 2029, so that assembly elections can also be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.Hung Assembly situation: The report states that if a situation of no confidence motion or hung assembly arises, then new elections can be held for the remaining time of 5 years.Phased process of elections: The first phase proposes to hold Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously, while the second phase can be for local body elections within 100 days.In addition, the Election Commission has been recommended to prepare voter lists for these elections and plan security forces, administrative officials, and machines.Committee compositionThe Kovind Committee comprised a total of eight members, including former President Ram Nath Kovind, senior advocate Harish Salve, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and other prominent personalities. This diverse team considered different perspectives, which helped in understanding the complexity of the issue.Impact on statesIf 'One Nation-One Election' is implemented, the term of the Legislative Assembly in many states will be reduced, especially in those states where elections are held in 2023. The term of these states will need to be extended. The report also said that this model can be implemented in 2029 with the consent of all political parties on the Law Commission's proposal.ConclusionThe idea of 'One Nation-One Election' is an important step towards making the electoral process in Indian democracy more organised and economically efficient. However, its implementation will require political consensus and administrative preparation. This new system will lead to reduction in electoral expenditure, administrative efficiency, and an opportunity to focus on development work. Now it remains to be seen how the Modi government successfully implements this proposal.