New Delhi:

Former president Ram Nath Kovind, who headed a panel on ‘one nation, one election,’ on Saturday said the idea of simultaneous polls was perceived by the framers of the Constitution and therefore it cannot be unconstitutional.

Ram Nath Kovind also said an “implementation committee” will look into the various constitutional amendments required to implement the concept, and it would then be up to parliament to take a final call.

Delivering the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture here, he said that the first four Lok Sabha and assembly polls were held together till 1967, then how could synchronised polls be dubbed as unconstitutional.

Some sections are saying that the idea is unconstitutional, but it is not true as the concept was perceived by the makers of the Constitution, he said, adding that several institutions, including the Election Commission, have supported the concept in the past.

In fact, he said, simultaneous polls would further strengthen federalism as all three tiers of governments will function together for five years.

The former president also said that ‘one nation, one election’ is a popular catchphrase which has been misinterpreted by some, and a narrative has crept in that only one poll will take place under it with no further elections.

He then explained that the concept is to hold elections to Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies — municipalities and panchayats — together so that all the three tiers of governance get elected at he same time and work together for five years.

The former president said 47 political parties gave representations to the high-level committee he headed and 32 of them supported holding polls simultaneously.

Fifteen parties opposed the concept but they have supported the idea of simultaneous polls at one point or the other in the past, he observed.

Addressing the audience, the former president recalled that the first four polls till 1967 were synchronised but the cycle was broken due to early dissolution of some state assemblies after he Centre used its constitutional powers under Article 356. “Was it done in the right democratic spirit,” he wondered, without delving into the issue further.

He said that frequent elections disrupt development work and multiple cycles of campaigning trigger use of unaccounted money which hurts the integrity of the electoral process.

Ram Nath Kovind also noted that frequent elections have also not found to be good for ease of doing business, trade and commerce.

The Union Cabinet had recently approved the proposal for ‘one nation, one election’ as recommended by the Ram Nath Kovind panel.

The panel had submitted the report in March ahead of the announcement of Lok Sabha elections.

The high-level committee had recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.

The panel had also proposed setting up of an ‘Implementation Group’ to look into the execution of the recommendations made by the committee.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Varanasi (UP):

The “adulteration” in Tirupati laddus is “highly unsanctified” and such acts are considered “sin” in Hinduism, former president Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said as he expressed apprehension that this could be the story of every temple and pilgrimage site.

Addressing a two-day national seminar on cow, organic farming and Panchagavya treatment here, he said, “All over the country, and wherever our Indians live, a very disturbing news is coming about Tirupati Tirumala prasadam. I am not going into its political angle, but I think the faith that people have in their minds for the prasadam, a lot of doubt arises.” 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s claim that substandard ingredients and animal fat were used in Tirupati laddus during the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government has triggered a massive political row. The YSRCP, in turn, has accused Mr Naidu of indulging in “heinous allegations” for political gains.

At the event, Mr Kovind said, “When I came yesterday evening, this time I did not get the chance to go and have a darshan of Baba Vishwanath… Some of my colleagues who had gone (to the temple), gave me prasad in the evening. I immediately remembered the Tirumala prasadam, that thing struck me.” “And I am not the only one, probably all of you too. There is so much faith in the prasad of Baba Vishwanath. I do not want to go into that, but I am saying that this could be the story of every temple, could be the story of every pilgrimage place,” he added.

The former president also said, “This adulteration, this highly unsanctified thing is called a sin in Hindu shastra. This is a subject to be thought upon and it does not arise from one place. It is a vicious circle.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:
A high-level panel led by former president Ram Nath Kovind submitted its report on ‘One Nation, One Election’ on Thursday.

Here are the panel’s top ten recommendations

New Delhi:

The high-level committee on ‘one nation, one election’ headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday reviewed the progress made by it since it was set up in September last, an official statement said.

The committee at its meeting on Saturday “reviewed its various activities”, the statement said.

The panel has been reviewing the progress made by it since it was set up in September last year.

The committee is mandated to examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats keeping in view the existing constitutional framework.

While the ruling BJP and other parties, including the Shiv Sena and the Janata Dal (United), have supported the concept of simultaneous polls, the opposition parties, including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), have rejected the idea.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind to examine the issue of holding simultaneous elections in the country has been renamed as the High Level Committee on One Nation, One Election, according to an official statement on Wednesday.

The committee held its second meeting on Wednesday. It has been renamed as the High Level Committee on One Nation, One Election.

The panel has been tasked with examining and making recommendation for holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats, keeping in view the existing framework under the Constitution of India and other statutory provisions.

Set up on September 2, it has also been asked to examine and recommend if the relevant amendments to the Constitution would require ratification by the states.

It will analyse and recommend possible solution in a scenario of simultaneous elections emerging out of a hung House, adoption of no-confidence motion, or defection or any such other event.

The panel was also informed that a website – www.onoe.gov.in – has been developed for the One Nation, One Election, which besides being a repository of all relevant information on the subject, shall provide a platform for interaction and receiving suggestions from all stakeholders. The website was launched during the meeting, the statement said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Former President Ram Nath Kovind today chaired the first meeting of the high-level committee formed to examine the government’s ‘One Nation One Election’ push to hold simultaneous national, state and panchayat elections across the country.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash C Kashyap, former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, and other committee members attended the meeting.

Earlier, Mr Shah and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghawal held a meeting with Mr Kovind to decide the agenda for today’s meeting.

Besides national and state elections, the committee will also look into local body elections and make recommendations to the government over the framework and time-limit within which the elections can be held.

The government had notified the eight-member committee on September 2 to examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections at all levels.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had earlier declined to be part of the committee saying the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge was excluded from the panel whereas Mr Azad, a former Congress leader, was included.

Until 1967, elections used to be held simultaneously across the country and four elections were held in this manner. The practice stopped with some state assemblies being dissolved prematurely in 1968-69. The Lok Sabha too was dissolved a year ahead of its schedule in 1970 – a first in its history.

Simultaneous elections were part of the BJP’s manifesto for the 2014 elections.

New Delhi:

Taking a big step forward on the ‘one nation, one election’ proposal, the Centre has set up a committee to study the issue and submit a report. The panel will be headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind.

The move comes a day after Centre had announced a special session of the Parliament from September 18 to 22. Ever since the surprise announcement was made, there has been speculation that a bill on ‘one nation, one election’ will be tabled during the session, but no one from the government has confirmed this so far. 

‘One nation, one election’ refers to holding the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls simultaneously across the country. The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have spoken on the issue on several occasions, and it was also a part of the party’s manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Conducting polls simultaneously was the norm in India until 1967 and four elections were held this way. The practice stopped after some state assemblies were dissolved prematurely in 1968-69. The Lok Sabha was also, for the first time, dissolved a year ahead of schedule in 1971 and mid-term elections had been called.