One Nation, One Election: Kovind panel holds fresh consultations with state election commissions

New Delhi: The high-level committee on 'One Nation, One Election' on Monday continued its interactions with state election commissions to seek their views on holding simultaneous polls in the country.

According to an official statement, the committee's chairman and former president Ram Nath Kovind and a few other members interacted with U P S Madan, State Election Commissioner of Maharashtra and B Basavaraaju, State Election Commissioner of Karnataka.

In their deliberations, both the commissioners highlighted various issues that need to be addressed so that elections to the local bodies can also be held simultaneously with the state Assemblies and Lok Sabha, the statement said.

While the Election Commission of India (ECI) is mandated to hold presidential, vice-presidential, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, state assembly and state legislative council polls, the state election commissions (SECs) organise polls to local bodies such as municipalities and panchayats.

The ECI and respective SECs are separate bodies under the Constitution.

Set up in September last year, the panel is mandated to examine and make recommendations at the earliest on the issue of holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats.

The Kovind panel had last week too interacted with some SECs.