Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 2: BJP-led Union Government sprung a surprise by appointing former leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad as member of the high-power committee to take decision on “One-Nation One Election”.
According to an order issued by the government, Ghulam Nabi Azad was included in the panel headed by the former President, Ramnath Kovind.
Kovind, Former President of India is Chairman of the committee. Other members of the committee include Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Leader of Single Largest Party in Opposition, Lok Sabha Member, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Former Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha Member, N.K.Singh, Former Chairman, 15th Finance Commission Member, Subhash C. Kashyap, Former Secretary General, Lok Sabha Member, Harish Salve, Senior Advocate Member and Sanjay Kothari, Former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Member. Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India shall attend the meetings of the as Special Invitee. Niten Chandra, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Legal Affairs shall be Secretary to the panel. The terms and reference of the panel shall be to— (a) examine and make recommendation 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. |
