NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections under the chairmanship of former President Shri Ram Nath Kovind.
Simultaneous elections: recommendations of high-level committee
-
Elections have been held simultaneously between 1951 and 1967.
-
Law Commission: 170th report (1999): One election to Lok Sabha and all Legislative Assemblies in five years.
-
Parliamentary Committee 79th Report (2015): suggest methods for simultaneous elections in two phases.
-
High Level Committee chaired by Shri Ram Nath Kovind extensively consulted a broad spectrum of stakeholders including political parties and experts.
-
The report is available online at: https://onoe.gov.in
-
Extensive feedback has showed there is widespread support for simultaneous elections in the country.
Recommendations and way forward
-
Implement in two phases.
-
In first phase: conduct Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously.
-
In second phase: Conduct local body elections (panchayat and municipalities) within 100 days of general elections.
-
Common electoral roll for all elections.
-
Will initiate detailed discussions throughout the country.
-
Constitute an implementation group.