Many types of political statements are coming regarding ‘One Nation One Election’. Meanwhile, the Law Commission has said on the matter that it is working on a formula to hold all the elections simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections from 2029 by increasing or reducing the tenure of the existing assemblies. This information has come to light from the sources of the Commission. The government has already constituted a high-level committee to conduct simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and local bodies, hence the Law Commission should consider holding the local body elections along with its existing recommendation for national and state elections. May be asked to include. Sources said the Law Commission is working out a mechanism to ensure a common electoral roll for the Lok Sabha, Assemblies and local bodies so that costs can be reduced and manpower can be utilized for an almost identical exercise which is currently being done by the Election Commission. And is done by various state election commissions. However, sources also said that the Law Commission’s report on simultaneous elections is not ready as some issues are yet to be resolved.
To ensure simultaneous elections for both state assemblies and Lok Sabha from the year 2029, the commission under Justice Rituraj Awasthi may suggest reducing or increasing the tenure of the assemblies. Sources said a mechanism is being worked out to ensure that once arrangements are made to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, voters go to the polling booth only once to vote for both the elections. Since Assembly and Parliamentary elections are held in different phases, the Commission is also taking care that voters do not visit polling stations more than once to vote for two elections.
At present, the commission’s work is to suggest ways to hold assembly and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously.
Sources said the commission is of the view that assembly and parliamentary elections can be held simultaneously and is only working out modalities for the smooth conduct of the massive democratic exercise. At present, the work of the Commission is to suggest ways to hold Assembly and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously. But the high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind has been tasked with recommending how Lok Sabha, Assembly and local body elections (Panchayat, Municipality, Zilla Parishad) can be held simultaneously.
Lok Sabha and Assembly elections can be held in the first phase
One suggestion that the Law Commission can give is that three-tier elections should be conducted in two phases in a year. Lok Sabha and Assembly elections can be conducted in the first phase and local body elections can be conducted in the second phase. Sources said that this is a practical approach keeping in mind the different climatic conditions in the country. In April 2018, the Law Ministry had asked the Law Commission to examine the issue of holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.