Government Forms Eight-Member Panel To Make Recommendations For Simultaneous Polls
Massive expenditure by the government and diversion of security forces were among the reasons to form the committee.
The central government formed a eight-member committee chaired by ex-President Ram Nath Kovind to examine and make recommendations for simultaneous polls.
It stated massive expenditure by the government, diversion of security forces, and disruption in developmental work as the reasons to form a "high level committee" to examine the issue of simultaneous elections, according to a notification dated Sept. 2.
The purpose of the committee is to examine, make recommendations at the earliest for holding simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha, assemblies, municipalities and panchayats, the notification said.
It will also study if amendments to the Constitution would require ratification by states, analyse impact of scenarios emerging from a hung house, no-confidence motion or defection.
The high-level committee will comprise Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, ex-MP Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jurist Harish Salve, ex-CVC Sanjay Kothari and ex-Chairman of Finance Commission NK Sing.
Ex-Secretary General of Lok Sabha Subhash C Kashyap, along with special invitee Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will also be part of the committee.
The expenditure of the HLC shall be met through a separate budgetary allocation by the government under the relevant budget heads of the Ministry of Law and Justice.
(With inputs from PTI)
