The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind.
Simultaneous elections: recommendations of high-level committee
- Elections have been held simultaneously between 1951 and 1967.
- Law Commission: 170th report (1999): One election to Lok Sabha and all Legislative Assemblies in five years.
- Parliamentary Committee 79th Report (2015): suggest methods for simultaneous elections in two phases.
- High Level Committee chaired by Shri Ram Nath Kovind extensively consulted a broad spectrum of stakeholders including political parties and experts.
- The report is available online at: https://onoe.gov.in
- Extensive feedback has showed there is widespread support for simultaneous elections in the country.
Recommendations and way forward
- Implement in two phases.
- In first phase: conduct Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously.
- In second phase: Conduct local body elections (panchayat and municipalities) within 100 days of general elections.
- Common electoral roll for all elections.
- Will initiate detailed discussions throughout the country.
- Constitute an implementation group.
