Law Commission chief, members meet Kovind panel on simultaneous polls

The panel had invited the Law Commission to seek its views on how simultaneous polls can be held in the country. The high-level panel, which had in its first meeting recently decided to seek the views of political parties, has now written to them to elicit their views on holding sustainable simultaneous polls in the country.

New Delhi: Law Commission chairperson Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, along with some of its members, met the high-level committee on simultaneous polls headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind here on Wednesday to discuss the roadmap for holding synchronised elections in the country.

The panel had invited the Law Commission to seek its views on how simultaneous polls can be held in the country.

The high-level panel, which had in its first meeting recently decided to seek views of political parties, has now written to them to elicit their views on holding sustainable simultaneous polls in the country.

In a communication to the parties, it has sought an interaction with them on a 'mutually agreed date', sources said citing the letter.

They said parties have also been given an option to send their views in writing in the next three months.

The Law Commission is working on a formula to synchronise all assembly polls by extending or reducing the tenure so that these elections can be held along with the Lok Sabha polls 2029 onwards.

The law panel is devising a mechanism to ensure a common electoral roll for Lok Sabha, assemblies and local bodies to reduce cost and use of manpower for undertaking an almost identical exercise which is carried out now by the Election Commission and various state election commissions.

For synchronising various assembly polls to ensure both state and Lok Sabha elections are held together from 2029 onwards, the commission may suggest reducing or enhancing the tenure of legislative assemblies.

A mechanism is being devised to ensure that once Lok Sabha and assembly polls are synchronised, voters go to the polling booth only once to cast their ballot for both the elections.

The sources said since assembly and parliamentary polls are held in phases, the commission is working out modalities to see that voters do not go to polling stations more than once to cast their ballots for the two polls.

The commission, they said, is of the view that assembly and parliamentary polls can be held together and it is only working out modalities for the smooth conduct of the gigantic democratic exercise.