ONE ELECTION WILL ALLOW BETTER FOCUS ON GOVERNANCE

The Kovind Committee is the latest in a number of panels advising simultaneous elections. Synchronising polls will take time, but the possibility is closer than ever in recent decades

- A SURYA PRAKASH

THE high-level committee headed by former President Ramnath Kovind has provided the template for India to return to the system of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, which got completely disrupted over half a century ago.

After a comprehensive examination of the constitutional, administrative and other issues involved in bringing about simultaneity, the committee has recommended that this process could begin with a Lok Sabha poll, possibly in 2029. The Kovind Committee's recommendations are not surprising, because several other institutions and agencies have argued in favour of synchronising the elections-including the Election Commission of India, Law Commission, National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, a standing committee of parliament, and NITI Aayog. While all these institutions agreed on the need to hold the elections simultaneously, there was considerable divergence in their views on execution of the plan. However, the Kovind Committee's recommendations offer a 360-degree view of the problem and what appears to be the most practical way to resolve it, although it is rather complex.

The committee held extensive consultations with political parties, citizens and other stakeholders. Among the national political parties, only two out of sixBharatiya Janata Party and National People's Party-favoured the idea of evolving a system to ensure simultaneity. Among the state parties, 13 out of 33 liked the idea, while seven parties were against it; the remaining 13 parties preferred to remain neutral. Interestingly, four former chief justices of India-Dipak Misra, Ranjan Gogoi, Sharad Arvind Bobde and Uday Umesh Lalit-were in favour of simultaneous polls, as also were nine out of the 12 chief justices of high courts who participated in the consultations.