A committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind has presented a report on the concept of "One Nation, One Election" to President Droupadi Murmu. Here are the key points from the report:

Recommendations for Constitutional Amendments: The high-level committee suggests amending at least five articles of the Constitution to facilitate the implementation of simultaneous elections across the nation. The comprehensive report spans 18,626 pages.

Establishment of the Committee: Formed in September 2023, the Kovind-led committee was tasked with examining and proposing strategies for conducting synchronized elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities, and panchayats. Since its inception, the committee has engaged with stakeholders, conducted expert consultations, and conducted thorough research.

Phased Approach: The committee proposes a phased approach to implement simultaneous elections. Initially, elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies would be synchronized, followed by local body polls within 100 days. In the event of a hung assembly or a no-confidence motion, fresh polls would be conducted for the remaining term.

Electoral Roll Consolidation: The Election Commission would be responsible for creating a unified electoral roll and issuing voter ID cards in collaboration with state election authorities for all levels of elections, including Lok Sabha, assembly, and local body elections.

Infrastructure Enhancement: To facilitate simultaneous polls, the committee recommends bolstering equipment, manpower, and security forces.

The submission of the report coincides with the anticipated announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule for 2024 by India's election commission.

Members of the committee include Home Minister Amit Shah, former Rajya Sabha opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, former finance commission chairman N K Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash Kashyap, and senior advocate Harish Salve. Although Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was initially part of the panel, he declined, criticizing it as a sham. Additionally, BJP MP and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal serve as special invitees.

In other news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lead discussions on the appointment of two new election commissioners. However, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear petitions challenging the appointment process under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023. The petitioners argue that excluding the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel violates the court's previous verdict and dilutes its authority. They seek the inclusion of the Chief Justice in the appointment committee, which currently comprises the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.

President Droupadi Murmu approved the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Bill 2023 on December 28, 2023.

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