Panel On ‘One Nation, One Election’ Likely To Meet For The First Time Next Week

The committee on 'one nation, one election' is set to hold its first official meeting next week, with former President Ram Nath Kovind as the chairperson, according to a report from The Indian Express.

The same report mentions that members of the committee are currently being asked about their availability in order to determine a suitable date and time for the meeting.

On 2 September, the government announced the formation of an eight-member high-level committee, led by Kovind, to examine and provide recommendations for simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha, state Assemblies, municipalities, and panchayats.

The report suggests that the meeting will most likely be scheduled to coincide with the Special Session, as all ministers will already be in New Delhi for parliamentary proceedings.

The committee includes Union Home Minister Amit Shah and MoS Arjun Meghwal among its members.

Following the government's notification of the panel, Shah and Meghwal paid a courtesy visit to Kovind on 6 September, engaging in a nearly hour-long meeting.

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the sole Opposition representative in the committee, has chosen not to participate in the exercise.

When asked about Chowdhury's departure and the possibility of replacing him with another Opposition leader, Meghwal emphasized the need to keep the election reform free from political influence, stating that Chowdhury likely had his own political reasons for recusing himself from the panel.

In a letter to Shah, Chowdhury expressed his refusal to be a part of the committee due to concerns about the predetermined nature of its "terms of reference."

He described the committee as a mere facade or "eyewash."

The minister of state for law and justice, whose department is responsible for the committee, has been invited as a special participant, while the law secretary has been appointed as the committee's secretary.

Meghwal confirmed that they are currently coordinating with members to determine their consent and availability for the committee's first official meeting.

Meghwal also pointed out that even in 2019, when PM Modi had proposed the concept of "one nation, one election," the Congress party had boycotted the meeting.

He questioned who was leading the government during the simultaneous elections held in 1957, 1962, and 1967.

From the first elections of Independent India in 1952 until 1967, elections were conducted simultaneously across the country.

In June 2019, Modi chaired a meeting attended by the presidents of all political parties represented in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Participants included Nitish Kumar from JDU, Farooq Abdullah from NC, Sukhbir Singh Badal from SAD, Naveen Patnaik from BJD, Mehbooba Mufti from PDP, and Jagan Mohan Reddy from YSRCP.

However, the Congress, NCP, and TMC chose not to attend the meeting.

It has been reported that efforts are underway to convene the inaugural meeting of the high-level committee in the near future, with the selection of a venue currently being finalised.

The Ministry is also in the process of nominating officers who will provide secretarial assistance to the panel, according to sources.

Prior to the official announcement of the committee, key officials from the Union Law Ministry, including Law Secretary Niten Chandra and Legislative Secretary Reeta Vasishta, conducted a preparatory briefing for the former president.

Additionally, BJP chief J P Nadda met with Kovind to obtain his formal consent.

According to the gazette notification, the committee is expected to commence its operations immediately and deliver its recommendations "as soon as possible".