Simultaneous Poll Panel to Invite Political Parties, Law Commission for Views on ONOE

NEW DELHI: A high-level committee on simultaneous elections headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind held its first meeting on Saturday and decided to invite political parties and the Law Commission to seek their views on holding synchronised polls in the country, a statement said.

Home Minister Amit Shah, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, former Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Finance Commission chairman N K Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash C Kashyap and former chief vigilance commissioner Sanjay Kothari attended the meeting.

The committee, the statement said, decided to invite recognised national parties, parties having governments in states, those having their representatives in Parliament, other recognised state parties "for seeking suggestions/view points on the issue of simultaneous elections in the country".

In addition, the committee will also invite the Law Commission for its suggestions and view points on the issue of simultaneous elections, a law ministry statement said.

Noted lawyer Harish Salve joined the meeting virtually. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was not present in the meeting, the statement noted.

After he was named in the committee, Chowdhury had written to Shah "declining to serve on the committee".