NEW DELHI: Making a strong pitch for ‘one nation, one election,’ former President and chairman of the committee Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday said that the central government “will have to build consensus” for the implementation of ONOE.
While voicing support for holding simultaneous elections to the state assemblies and the Lok Sabha in the country, Kovind asserted that this issue is “not in the interest of any party but the nation.”
He said that ONOE will be a game changer for the country as not only he but economists believe that after its implementation, “the country’s GDP will rise by 1 to 1.5 per cent.”
“The central govt will have to build consensus. This issue is not in the interest of any party but the nation. It (One Nation One Election) will be a game changer – it’s not my opinion but of the economists that after its implementation, the country’s GDP will rise by 1-1.5%,” Kovind said.
In September this year, the Union Cabinet approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative, proposing concurrent elections for the Lok Sabha, assembly, urban bodies and panchayats, all to be conducted within a 100-day timeframe.
A high-level committee, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, presented these suggestions in their comprehensive report.
After the Cabinet’s approval, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his support for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative.
“The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative,” PM Modi posted on X.