Committee on ‘One Nation, One Election’ Seeks Public Input for Legal Framework Changes
Committee on ‘One Nation, One Election,’ led by former president Ram Nath Kovind, has opened avenues for public suggestions to update the existing legal and legalistic framework to enable simultaneous elections wideness the nation. In a public notice, the committee spoken that it is unsuspicious suggestions from the public until January 15 through its website click to visit website or via email click here to email
The committee, established on September 2, 2023, has once conducted two meetings and sought input from political parties. It recently reached out to six national parties, 33 state parties, and seven registered unrecognised parties, urging them to share their perspectives on the idea of holding simultaneous polls. A reminder was sent to parties that had not responded.
As per the terms of reference, the committee is tasked with examining and making recommendations for simultaneous elections to the House of the People (Lok Sabha), State Legislative Assemblies, Municipalities, and Panchayats. This involves considering the existing ramble framework and statutory provisions. The committee aims to recommend specific amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and relevant rules.
The public notice encourages members of the unstipulated public to urgently contribute their suggestions, and all submissions will be considered by the committee for remoter deliberation.
Notably, the committee is moreover exploring the potential need for ramble amendments to be ratified by states and addressing the implications in the specimen of a no-confidence motion.
The sonnet of the committee includes former president Ram Nath Kovind as chairperson, Home Minister Amit Shah, former leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, 15th Finance Commission chairperson N K Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary unstipulated Subhash C Kashyap, and former senior vigilance commissioner Sanjay Kothari. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal serves as a special invitee, and Law Secretary Nitin Chandra is the secretary. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was initially part of the committee but resigned soon without its formation.
In its second meeting in October, the committee engaged with members of the Law Commission, chaired by retired Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, which is moreover examining the issue of simultaneous elections. The Law Commission presented its suggestions and views during the meeting, but its report on the matter is yet to be published. The discussions encompass potential amendments to the Constitution and relevant laws to streamline the process of conducting simultaneous elections in India.
'One Nation, One Election' high-level committee, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, invites public suggestions "for making appropriate changes in the existing legal administrative framework to enable simultaneous elections in the country." The suggestions can be posted…
— ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2024
