‘One Nation, One Election’: CPI’s D Raja meets Kovind-led panel, opposes idea of simultaneous polls

The panel has been holding interactions with leaders from different parties. It had earlier sought the views of political parties on the proposal. Most opposition parties have opposed the idea of simultaneous polls.

New Delhi: CPI general secretary D Raja on Wednesday met the high-level committee on ‘One Nation, One Election’ and opposed the idea of simultaneous polls. The government had in September last year notified the panel under former president Ram Nath Kovind to examine and make recommendations at the earliest on the issue of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats.

Raja told PTI that he opposed the proposal of ‘One Nation, One Election’ and suggested the panel to instead look at “comprehensive electoral reforms”.

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“I told them that the proposal is impractical and not in tune with the Constitution in a multi-party democracy and a country with immense diversity,” the Communist Party of India (CPI) leader said.

“Instead of ‘One Nation, One Election’, we should talk about comprehensive electoral reforms,” he said. In a statement, the panel said former president Kovind and its members Ghulam Nabi Azad, N K Singh and Sanjay Kothari held personal interactions with Raja. The CPI general secretary submitted his views orally and in writing before the committee.

The panel has been holding interactions with leaders from different parties. It had earlier sought the views of political parties on the proposal. Most opposition parties have opposed the idea of simultaneous polls.