One nation, one election

The issue of one nation one election has been on the Bhartiya Janata party's election manifestoes as part of electoral reforms.

The union cabinet has accepted a high level committee's recommendations on 'one nation one election' for holding simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies in a phased manner after a countrywide consensus building exercise.

Information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said an implemention group would be formed to take forward the recommendations of the panel headed be former president ram Nath Kovind and and detailed discussions would be held on various for across the country over the next months.

Ashwini Vaishnaw said the move to simultaneous elections would be effected in two phases- in the first phase, Lok Sabha and assembly election will be aligned and in the second phase, which will be held within 100days of the first, local body elections will be covered

Some proposed changes regarding the single electoral roll and single voter ID card would need ratification by at least half of the states. 

separately, the law commission is also likely to come up soon with its own report on simultaneous elections of which prime minister Modi has been a strong votary.

Holding all elections simultaneously will require a lot of manoeuvring, including advancing some polls and delaying some others.

While the lok sabha polls held in may june this year states such us odisha, andhra pradesh, sikkim and arunachal pradesh also went to polls along with the parliamentary election.

The success of the one nation one election initiative depends on parliament passing two constitution amendment bills which will require broad support from various political parties.

Congress presdient mallikarjun kharge said simultaneous election are not pratical and alleged that the ruling Bhartiya Janata party comes up with such things to divert attention from real issue when polls approach.

One way to build the necessary consensus is by refering the amendment bills ta a parliamentary committee such as a standing committee or a joint parliamentary committee. These panels include opposition members, and discussions there could lead to a consensus the indian express reported.