Centre To Implement One Nation, One Election In This Term, Says Report

The concept of simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, referred to as “One Nation, One Election” will be implemented within the current term of the Narendra Modi government, sources said, hoping for support from political parties across the board, especially partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The census exercise, not undertaken since 2011, will also begin soon, senior government sources said.

Watch | One Nation One Election: what did the panel recommend?

The issue of simultaneous elections was highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi within a few months of coming to power in 2014, and a committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind also looked into the issue in the previous term of the Modi government. It recommended simultaneous elections for the Parliament and Assemblies, followed by local body elections within 100 days. Mr. Modi had reiterated his government’s commitment to the move in his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, appealing to all political parties to contribute this decision.

On the issue of the decadal Census, which hasn’t been undertaken since 2011, sources said that “preparations were on and the exercise will be started soon”.