First meeting of committee on 'one nation, one election' likely to take place today

Former President Ram Nath Kovind. File Pic

The first official meeting of the 'One Nation, One Election' committee that was formed to examine the policy, is likely to take place on Wednesday under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind at his residence in the national capital, the sources told news agency ANI.

The Union Law Ministry on Saturday named eight members to the committee, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, that will examine the issue of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, Assemblies, municipalities and panchayats, reported ANI.

Apart from the Chairperson, the committee will include Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Finance Commission chairperson NK Singh, senior advocate Harish Salve, former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash C Kashyap, and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari.

However, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who was named a member of the High-Level Committee (HLC) constituted by the Centre has declined to serve on the panel, saying its "terms of reference have been prepared in a manner to guarantee its conclusions".

Government sources told ANIthat he had given his consent to be part of the committee before notification with names came out.

The committee has been set up months before assembly polls in five states and ahead of Lok Sabha polls next year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has several times pitched the idea of One Nation, One Election. In November 2020 while addressing a conference of presiding officers he said, "One nation, one election is not only a subject of debate but a necessity for India. There is an election in India every month, which hampers development. Why should the country waste so much money?"

If 'One Nation, One Election' does come into effect it could mean that elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies across India will be held simultaneously.

Meanwhile, amid controversy over G20 dinner invites purportedly sent on behalf of the 'President of Bharat', Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday asked a "flustered" BJP whether it would change the name of Bharat if the opposition alliance INDIA rechristens itself 'Bharat'.

The Congress on Tuesday alleged that an invite sent by the Narendra Modi government for a G20 dinner refers to the President as "President of Bharat" and not India.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)