by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
New Delhi, Aug 15
Modi to fast Track One Nation One Poll
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Aug 15
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to set up a committee to fast-track his ambitious plan for “One Nation One Poll” plan.
Official sources say that the plan is afoot in this regard after the PM Modi had met leaders of various political parties in June this year, immediately after coming to power. He emphasised upon the political leadership of all parties to explore possibilities of holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections together.
It now transpires that he had already chalked out a road map for the same and set up a committee to give a “workable” reform package based on the inputs received from various quarters.
After having implemented One Nation, One Tax, One Nation, One Ration Card, Defacation free India, Abragating Artcile 370 & Article 35A, Modi now wants to implement One Nation One Poll agenda within the next 100 days.
Modi's address to the nation in his Independence Day speech today from the Ramparts of the Red Fort left no one in doubt that he would aggressively push for simultaneous assembly and general elections.
The Law Commission had recommended holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies to cut expenditure and save public money in August last year. When Law Ministry said this cannot be done without amending the Constitution and two/third majority would be needed in both houses of Parliament, Modi got busy in mustering this support.
With the government succeeding in getting 2/3rd support in Rajya Sabha and 3/4th in Lok Sabha on the scrapping of Article 370 & Artcile 35A, the government would work hard to get the same support on its ambitious One Nation One poll theme.
The PM is in no mood to accept the recommendation of its Think-tank, NITI Aayog which had suggested synchronised two-phase Lok Sabha and Assembly polls from 2024 to ensure minimum campaign-mode disruption to governance.
Ends
