The Centre on Saturday formally constituted an eight-member High-Level Committee under former President Ram Nath Kovind to examine the issue of “one nation, one election,” asking it to recommend what specific amendments to the Constitution, and relevant Acts, may be needed for the purpose.

Apart from the former President, who is the Chairman, the committee comprises Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chairman of 15^th Finance Commission N K Singh, former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash C Kashyap, Senior Advocate Harish Salve and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari.

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A Resolution of the Law and Justice Ministry (Legislative Department) said that Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will attend the meetings of the High-Level Committee as a special invitee. The Committee has been asked to “commence functioning immediately and make recommendations at the earliest.”

The terms and reference of the HLC are: “examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections to the House of the People (Lok Sabha), State Legislative Assemblies, Municipalities and Panchayats, keeping in view the existing framework under the Constitution of India and other statutory provisions, and for that purpose, examine and recommend specific amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the rules made thereunder and any other law or rules which would require amendments for the purpose of holding simultaneous elections.”

The Committee has been asked “to examine and recommend if the amendments to the Constitution would require ratification by the States.” It will also “analyse and recommend possible solutions in a scenario of simultaneous elections emerging out of hung House, adoption of no-confidence motion, or defection or any such other event.”

The Committee will decide its own procedure for conducting its meetings and other relevant functions. The committee will hear all persons and accept representations and communications which can facilitate its work.

Nitin Chandra, Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, shall be the Secretary of the High Level Committee (HLC). The legislative department of the Ministry of Law and Justice will provide office and meet expenditure of the Committee’s work.

Stating that frequent elections cost heavily to the exchequer, the Resolution said “in the national interest it is desirable to have simultaneous elections in the country,” and the HLC has been constituted to examine the issue.

The Government has indicated that the subject of one nation, one election is likely to be discussed in the coming special session of Parliament. Assembly polls in five states are scheduled in the country ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year.