The high-level committee, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, assembled on September 23 to establish its action plan and address consultations with stakeholders regarding the feasibility of simultaneous elections.
This committee, which was formed on September 2, comprises eight members and was tasked with examining and presenting recommendations promptly on the prospect of concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities, and panchayats.
The initial meeting primarily served as an introduction, focusing on how to execute the committee’s objectives effectively. The agenda also included the preparation of working papers, strategies for engaging with stakeholders, and in-depth research on the subject.
Notably, the committee’s members include Home Minister Amit Shah, former leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Finance Commission chairman N K Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash C Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve, and former chief vigilance commissioner Sanjay Kothari.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress’s leader in the Lok Sabha, was initially a member but declined to participate, expressing concerns about the committee’s terms of reference.
The government, in its notification, emphasized that the committee would commence its work immediately and provide recommendations “at the earliest.” However, it did not specify a deadline for submitting its report.
The formation of this committee had surprised the opposition, who criticized it as a potential threat to the nation’s federal structure.
