Centre forms panel to study ‘one nation one election’ proposal under ex-Prez Kovind

NEW DELHI —  The Central government on Friday announced the setting up of a high-level panel to study the proposal of ‘one nation, one election’. Former president Ram Nath Kovind will head the panel and submit a report on the proposal.

The move comes a day after the government announced a special session of Parliament from September 18 to 22.

Soon after the announcement of the special session, speculation began over the ‘one nation, one election’ proposal, which a section of the media had reported, could be discussed during the session.

The proposal refers to holding the Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls simultaneously across the country.

The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have spoken on the issue on several occasions, and it was also a part of the party’s manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Conducting polls simultaneously was the norm in India until 1967 and four elections were held this way. The practice stopped after some state Assemblies were dissolved prematurely in 1968-69.

The Lok Sabha was also, for the first time, dissolved a year ahead of schedule and mid-term elections were held in 1971.

Maha leaders slam Centre’s moves for ‘One Nation, One Election’

MUMBAI — The state Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders slammed the purported moves by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to push through the agenda of ‘One Nation, One Election’ at the upcoming Special Session of Parliament, here on Friday.

Congress’ Leader of Opposition (Assembly) Vijay Wadettiwar attacked the move, saying that “the BJP government is running scared and indulging in such things, but all the national opposition leaders attending the INDIA Conclave will discuss the issue today”.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that already three committees have been constituted earlier for ‘One Nation, One Election’ and have submitted their reports as well.

“So this 4th committee is nothing but a red herring to take attention away from INDIA and Peoples’ agenda… When will the Centre form a committee on record-breaking price rise, unemployment, growing atrocities against women, Adani Group financial frauds, farmers’ unrest, China adding Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin in its territorial maps? Till the core issues are unresolved, this is nothing but a distraction,” said Chaturvedi sharply.

Chaturvedi questioned how the government can do this without accepting the previous committees’ reports, taking the consent of the Election Commission of India, all the parties, state CMs, and others, and vowed that the entire Opposition will oppose it.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) National Spokesperson Clyde Crasto wondered “how any proposal for ‘One Nation, One Election’ can possibly be pushed through in a democracy, the infrastructure is not in place, the Opposition parties are not consulted, and the people of the country are not prepared for it.”

“What is the BJP’s motive… Is it so scared of the INDIA alliance’s growing influence and wants to ground it before it takes off? Why is the BJP suddenly being desperate and trying to push the country to a precarious position without taking the nation into confidence…” asked Crasto.

Congress’ former CM Prithviraj Chavan said that “this means the BJP is rattled by the INDIA alliance” and is resorting to such diversionary tactics, but they will not succeed.

Sena (UBT) MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that the Opposition parties will oppose any such moves strongly at the INDIA Conclave where many crucial decisions are likely to be taken.