Eighty one per cent of the people who responded to Central government's notice inviting suggestions on whether there should be simultaneous elections in the country were in favour of the idea, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice has said in a press release.On January 5, the government invited suggestions on changes in the existing legal and administrative framework for holding simultaneous elections in the country. Responses to the notice were invited through email till January 15.The Law Ministry's press release revealed that a total of “20,972 responses were received of which 81% affirmed the idea of simultaneous election”.
The government had set up a high-level committee headed by former President of India Ram Nath Kovind to examine the issue of holding simultaneous elections in the country.The committee also comprising former Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, former Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission NK Singh, Senior Advocate and former Attorney General Harish Salve and others, held a meeting on January 21.Besides inviting suggestions, the government had also sought the views of 46 political parties. “Till date, suggestions have been received from 17 political parties. Suggestions by the Election Commission of India were also noted by the Committee. Additionally, the Chairman of the committee has initiated consultations with eminent jurists, former Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and High Courts, former Chief Election Commissioners of India, heads of Bar Council of India, FICCI, ASSOCHAM and CII,” the release said. The next meeting of the high-level committee is scheduled to take place on January 27.The Central government said that elections to the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of states were mostly held simultaneously from the years 1951-52 to 1967, after which the “cycle got broken” and now they are held almost every year, at different times.According to the government, the same results in “massive expenditure” and “diversion of security forces and other electoral officers engaged in such elections from their primary duties for significantly prolonged periods.”
TAGS: Central government Simultaneous elections Union Ministry of Law and Justice Ram Nath Kovind High-level committee
