On Saturday, the government officially announced the formation of an eight-member high-level committee tasked with a critical examination and the expeditious formulation of recommendations concerning the feasibility of conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities, and panchayats.
This distinguished committee, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, comprises prominent figures such as Home Minister Amit Shah, Lok Sabha’s Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, and former Finance Commission chairman N K Singh.
Additional members of the panel include former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash C Kashyap, esteemed senior advocate Harish Salve, and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will contribute as a special invitee during committee meetings, while Legal Affairs Secretary Niten Chandra will serve as the secretary to the panel.
The committee’s primary mandate is to assess and propose specific amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, and any other pertinent laws and regulations that may necessitate revision to enable synchronized elections. It will also deliberate upon whether these constitutional amendments would necessitate ratification by the States.
Furthermore, the committee will engage in a comprehensive analysis to propose solutions for potential scenarios such as a hung House, the adoption of a no-confidence motion, defection, or any other significant event that may occur in the context of simultaneous elections.
In its pursuit of thoroughness, the committee will be open to hearing and considering all input, representations, and communications that it deems beneficial to its work, ultimately contributing to the finalization of its recommendations.
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