Simultaneous elections: Panel invites suggestions from public till Jan 15

Since the committee was set up on September 2, 2023, it has held two meetings and invited suggestions from national and state political parties.

As per its terms of reference, the committee is meant to “examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections to the House of the People (Lok Sabha), State Legislative Assemblies, Municipalities and Panchayats, keeping in view the existing framework under the Constitution of India and other statutory provisions, and for that purpose, examine and recommend specific amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the rules made thereunder and any other law or rules which would require amendments for the purpose of holding simultaneous elections”.

The committee is also looking at whether potential amendments to the Constitution would need to be ratified by states and what would happen in the case of a no-confidence motion.

With Kovind as chairperson, the committee includes Home Minister Amit Shah, former leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, 15th Finance Commission chairperson N K Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash C Kashyap and former chief vigilance commissioner Sanjay Kothari. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is a special invitee and Law Secretary Nitin Chandra the secretary. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was included in the committee but he resigned soon after its formation.

In its second meeting in October, the committee met members of the Law Commission, which is also examining the issue of simultaneous elections. The Law Commission, chaired by retired Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, made a presentation to the committee about its suggestions and views on the topic. The Law Commission is yet to publish its report.