Subscribe for notification
Categories: Latest

3 Ex High Court Chief Justices, State Poll Head Opposed Simultaneous Election

Three former high court chief justices and one former state election commissioner were among those who objected to the idea of ‘one nation, one election’ during the consultations by a high-level committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind.

However, all four former Supreme Court chief justices — Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde and Justice U U Lalit — the committee consulted provided written responses which were in favour of holding simultaneous elections, according to the Kovind panel’s report.

The report accepted by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday has recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.

Among the former chief justices of high courts, nine supported simultaneous elections, highlighting their potential benefits while three raised concerns or objections. Former Delhi High Court chief justice Ajit Prakash Shah opposed the concept of simultaneous elections, noting it may curb democratic expression along with concerns about distorted voting patterns and state-level political alterations.

“Additionally, he said that simultaneous elections hinder political accountability, as fixed terms offer representatives unwarranted stability without performance scrutiny, challenging democratic principles,” the report noted.

Former Calcutta High Court chief justice Girish Chandra Gupta opposed simultaneous polls, saying the idea is not conducive to the principles of democracy.

“Justice Sanjib Banerjee, former Chief Justice, Madras High Court opposed simultaneous elections due to concerns that it would undermine India’s federal structure and be prejudicial to regional issues.

“He cited empirical data showing frequent midterm state elections, emphasising the importance of allowing people to exercise their choices. He suggested state funding of elections as a more effective reform to tackle corruption and inefficiency,” the report said.

All four former chief election commissioners, who were consulted by the panel, favoured simultaneous elections.

Amongst present and former state election commissioners consulted by the panel, seven endorsed the idea while former Tamil Nadu Election Commissioner V Palanikumar, expressed concerns.

“One primary concern emphasised was the pervasive dominance of national issues over local considerations during elections. The Commissioner expressed apprehension that this trend could potentially dilute the focus on region-specific challenges and diminish the efficacy of local governance,” the report noted.

“Furthermore, the Commissioner highlighted the acute issue of a shortage in electoral manpower, emphasising the imperative of bolstering staff to ensure the seamless and efficient execution of elections,” it added.

Recent Posts

Gurugram Woman Abandons Newborn Daughter In Hospital, Case Filed: Cops

 A woman allegedly abandoned her newborn daughter in the laboratory of a hospital, police said…

2 hours ago

3 Killed As Truck Rams Into Car On Highway In Rajasthan’s Alwar: Cops

Three men were killed when a truck hit a car while overtaking it on the…

2 hours ago

Supreme Court Commutes Death Penalty Of Man Guilty Of Killing Daughter

The Supreme Court on Wednesday commuted the death penalty of a man, who murdered his…

2 hours ago

Hezbollah Launches Rockets At Israel In Response To Raids

Hezbollah said it fired rockets at the northern Israeli town of Safed on Wednesday, the…

3 hours ago

US President Joe Biden Announces $425 Million Arms Aid To Ukraine

US President Joe Biden announced a $425 million arms package for Kyiv Wednesday in a…

3 hours ago

Rs 50,000 Fine For Dust Pollution At Delhi Construction Sites Amid Poor Air quality

With air quality dropping to "poor" levels in the city, the New Delhi Municipal Corporation…

4 hours ago