Former President Holds Fresh Round Of Talks Over 'One Nation, One Election'

Former president and head of the high-level committee on 'one nation, one election' Ram Nath Kovind has held a fresh round of consultations on simultaneous polls with retired judges and industry leaders, an official statement said on Wednesday.

In his fourth round of consultations, Mr Kovind met Justice Dilip Bhosale, former chief justice of Allahabad High Court, and Justice Rajendra Menon, former chief justice of the Delhi High Court, who gave their considered opinion on the subject, the statement said.

"Initiating discussions with financial and economic experts, Mr Kovind also held interactions with Ajay Singh, president of ASSOCHAM, and chairman and managing director of Spicejet airlines who was also accompanied by the Secretary-General and Assistant Secretary general of ASSOCHAM," it said.

Mr Singh put forth his views in detail on the economic advantages of holding simultaneous elections for the nation.

Earlier, Mr Kovind had met Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari, former chief justice of the Madras High Court, Justice Gorla Rohini, former chief justice of the Delhi High Court and former CEC Sushil Chandra.

Separately, the committee has received nearly 21,000 suggestions from the public out of which 81 per cent "affirmed" the idea of simultaneous polls, an official statement had on Sunday said.

Suggestions were also invited from 46 political parties.

"Till date, suggestions have been received from 17 political parties," it had said.

Various opposition parties, including the Congress and the TMC, have opposed the idea of holding simultaneous polls.

On January 5, the panel issued a public notice inviting suggestions from citizens for making appropriate changes in the existing legal-administrative framework to enable simultaneous elections in the country.

The Kovind-led committee, which was constituted in September last year, held its third meeting on Sunday.

"Altogether 20,972 responses were received out of which 81 per cent affirmed the idea of simultaneous election," the committee had said after its meeting. 

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