'BJP Or Cong, Party At Centre To Gain': Panel Chief On 'One Nation One Election'

Ramnath Kovind said that he has communicated with the nationally registered political parties and sought their suggestion on One Nation One Election.

A high-level committee to examine the possibility of One Nation One Election is being headed by former President of India Ramnath Kovind

Source : PTI File Photo

Chairperson for the committee examining the possibility of One Nation One Election, Ramnath Kovind on Tuesday said that the committee has met with national political parties and sought their suggestion on conducting one elections throughout the country. 

Calling it a matter of national interest, Kovind said that all the parties have been requested to give their constructive support. 

"...The Government of India formed a high-level committee and appointed me as its chairman. Members of the committee, together with the public, will give suggestions to the Government regarding the re-implementation of this tradition (One Nation, One Election),” Kovind said while speaking to reporters in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareilly. 

#WATCH | Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh | Former President and 'One Nation, One Election' committee chairperson Ram Nath Kovind says, "...Government of India formed a high-level committee and appointed me as its chairman. Members of the committee, together with the public, will give… pic.twitter.com/jsrB7vbUJB

— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2023

“I have also communicated with all the nationally registered political parties and sought their suggestions,” said the former President of India. 

“Every political party has supported it at some point in time. We are requesting all the parties for their constructive support as it is beneficial to the country. It is a matter of national interest,” he added. 

Kovind said that the party at the Centre will be benefitted from this, be it BJP, Congress, or any other party.

What Is One Nation One Election?

The concept of One Nation One Election centres around the idea to hold elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies simultaneously with voting taking place concurrently instead of varied elections throughout the year. 

The practice is not new to India as it was followed till 1967 but was discontinued later due to several factors such as dismissals, defections, and dissolutions of government.

The current Narendra Modi government has been advocating the reform and so is Kovind, who in his address to the Parliament in 2018 mentioned One Nation One Election as one of the reforms proposed by the government.

On Monday also, he reiterated his support for the reform urging all political parties to support the idea in national interest.