First meeting of ‘One Nation One Election’ committee on September 23

NEW DELHI,SEPT 16 : The first official meeting of the ‘One Nation One Election’ committee which was formed to examine the policy, is set to take place on September 23, under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind.

Earlier, the government had notified an eight-member high-level committee to examine and make recommendations at the earliest on the issue of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats.

The committee will have Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and former Finance Commission chairman NK Singh as members.

The panel, which will commence functioning immediately and make recommendations at the earliest, will also have former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash C Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari as members.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will attend the meetings of the committee as a special invitee, while Legal Affairs Secretary Niten Chandra will be secretary to the panel.

The committee will examine and recommend specific amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act and any other laws and rules which would require amendments for the purpose of holding simultaneous elections.

It will also examine and recommend if the amendments to the Constitution would require ratification by the States.

The committee will also analyse and recommend possible solutions to scenarios such as a hung House, adoption of a no-confidence motion, or defection or any other event in case of simultaneous elections.

The committee will hear and entertain all persons, representations and communications which in its opinion can facilitate its work and enable it to finalise its recommendations.