New Delhi: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet approved the 'One Nation One Election' initiative after reviewing the report from the high-level committee on 'one nation, one election,' which was presented to the Union Cabinet on September 18, 2024. The Bill is expected to be introduced in Parliament during the upcoming winter session.

The panel, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, submitted its report in March, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Presenting the report to the Cabinet was part of the law ministry's 110-day agenda.

The panel stated that simultaneous elections would conserve resources, promote development and social cohesion, reinforce democratic principles, and help realise the aspirations of "India, that is Bharat." It also recommended the preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in consultation with state election authorities.

Advantages listed by the panel include simplifying the electoral process for voters and stimulating higher and faster economic growth. The panel argued that synchronised polls would allow businesses and corporate firms to make decisions without the fear of adverse policy changes. Furthermore, conducting elections at all levels, Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and panchayats, would prevent disruptions in supply chains and production cycles caused by migrant workers taking leave to vote. /BI