'One Nation, One Election': Former President Kovind-Led Panel To Meet Today To Review Progress

The high-level committee on "One Nation, One Election", led by former president Ram Nath Kovind, is meeting on Monday (18 December) to assess the latest developments regarding simultaneous elections.

The meeting comes after the committee sought responses from various political parties on the idea of holding elections concurrently.

While the meeting is described as "informal", sources suggest that the committee may delve into the feedback received from political parties.

As reported by Indian Express, no specific written agenda has been circulated, but the discussion is expected to focus on the responses gathered from six national parties, 33 state parties, and seven registered but unrecognised parties.

The committee, in its recent communication to political parties, invited their views and suggested an "mutually agreed date" for further interaction.

Previously, the committee had also consulted with the Law Commission to gather insights on the feasibility of simultaneous elections.

The backdrop for this initiative lies in the government's acknowledgment, earlier this year, that simultaneous polls could lead to significant cost savings for the public exchequer, stating that amendments to at least five articles of the Constitution would be necessary.

However, critics argue that simultaneous elections may favour larger parties, sidelining regional parties and local issues due to resource imbalances.