Cabinet Greenlights ‘One Nation, One Election’ Initiative
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 18: The Centre’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal has garnered mixed reactions from political entities in Meghalaya. Meghalaya Trinamool Congress (TMC) president, Charles Pyngrope, has shown his support, citing it as a timely move for the country’s benefit. Pyngrope noted that simultaneous elections would reduce the frequent electoral cycle that strains the exchequer.
On the contrary, the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Voice of the People Party (VPP) withheld immediate comments, indicating they would deliberate further before voicing a collective stance. UDP General Secretary Jemino Mawthoh and VPP’s Lok Sabha member Ricky AJ Syngkon both expressed the need for internal discussions to assess the proposal’s implications.
This week, the Union government endorsed the recommendations of a high-level panel led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The plan aims for synchronized elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies, to be executed in phases following comprehensive nationwide consultations.
During an announcement, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw mentioned the formation of an implementation group to advance the recommendations. A consensus-building initiative will span the next few months. Though the exact timeline for rolling out the recommendations remains unclear, Home Minister Amit Shah has assured implementation within the current government tenure.
Once discussions are concluded, the proposal will proceed through drafting a bill by the Law Ministry, followed by cabinet consideration and introduction in Parliament. The Kovind panel’s report, submitted prior to the last general election, proposed starting with simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, followed by local bodies within 100 days.
These reforms will call for substantial constitutional amendments, primarily through Parliament, with some changes necessitating ratification by state assemblies.
Since simultaneous elections were last practiced between 1951 and 1967, the current staggered electoral system has posed challenges. This restructured approach proposes potential efficiency and resource optimization for India’s democratic processes.
Original Story https://theshillongtimes.com/2024/09/19/tmc-laps-up-centres-move-udp-and-vpp-undecided/
Category : MEGHALAYA
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