New Delhi: The majority of the over 20,000 responses received by the high-level committee on ‘One Nation, One Election’ favoured the idea of holding simultaneous elections, the Union Law Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind held its third meeting on Sunday, the ministry said. The committee had invited suggestions from the public through a public notice published on January 5, seeking responses till January 15. The committee also received feedback through its website.
“Altogether 20,972 responses were received out of which 81% affirmed the idea of simultaneous election. Besides, suggestions were also invited from 46 political parties. Till date, suggestions have been received from 17 political parties. Suggestions by the Election Commission of India were also noted by the Committee,” the ministry said.
Last week, Kovind held meetings with former chief election commissioners Sushil Chandra and O P Rawat, and former Chief Justice of Madras High Court Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari, and former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Justice G Rohini. This, the Ministry said, was a part of the consultations with eminent jurists, former Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and High Courts, former CECs, the heads of the Bar Council of India and industry bodies FICCI, ASSOCHAM and CII.
The next meeting of the committee would be on January 27, it said. The committee was set up in September by the Law Ministry and held its first meeting that month, followed by the second one in October. As per its terms of reference, the committee was asked to “examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections to the House of the People (Lok Sabha), state legislative assemblies, municipalities and panchayats.”
Agencies

KR Desk