One Nation One Election: Union Cabinet Unanimously Approves Report Submitted by Ram Nath Kovind-Led Panel for Simultaneous Lok Sabha and State Assembly Polls, Says Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi, September 18: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal for 'one nation, one Election' as recommended by the Kovind panel, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday. The report of the high-level committee on 'one nation, one election' was placed before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. The panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind had submitted the report in March ahead of the announcement of Lok Sabha elections. Vaishnaw said the report was approved unanimously.

Placing the report before the Cabinet was a part of the law ministry's 100-day agenda. The high-level committee had recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days. The panel had also proposed setting up of an 'Implementation Group' to look into the execution of the recommendations made by the committee. The panel also recommended the preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in consultation with state election authorities. One Nation One Election: Union Cabinet Approves Ram Nath Kovind-Led Panel’s Report on Simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha Polls.

At present, the ECI is responsible for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, while the local body polls for municipalities and panchayats are managed by state election commissions. The panel recommended as many as 18 constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by state Assemblies. However, these would require certain Constitution amendment Bills that would need to be passed by Parliament. Some proposed changes regarding the single electoral roll and single voter ID card would need ratification by at least half of the states. One Nation One Poll is Important Part of Narendra Modi 3.0 Term, Says Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

‘One Nation One Election’ Proposal Gets Union Cabinet’s Approval, Congress Opposes Move

Separately, the Law Commission is also likely to come up soon with its own report on simultaneous polls, of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a strong votary. Sources said that the Law Commission is likely to recommend holding simultaneous polls for all three tiers of the government -- the Lok Sabha, state Assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats -- starting with 2029 and a provision for a unity government in cases like a hung house.