Kovind panel recommends simultaneous polls, common electoral roll

New Delhi: A high-level committee on Thursday recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.

In its report submitted to President Droupadi Murmu that ran into over 18,000 pages, the panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind said simultaneous polls will spur development process and social cohesion, deepen foundations of democratic rubric and help realise aspirations of "India, that is Bharat".

The panel recommended preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission of India in consultation with state election authorities.

The panel recommended several constitutional amendments, most of which will not need ratification by states.

At present, the ECI is responsible for Lok Sabha and assembly polls, while local body polls for municipalities and panchayats are managed by state election commissions.

Kovind was accompanied by other panel members, including Home Minister Amit Shah, former Finance Commission chairman N K Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash Kashyap, former leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, when they submitted the report to the president at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The report is an outcome of extensive consultations with stakeholders, experts and research work of 191 days, since its constitution on September 2, 2023, a statement said.