State panel to give report on ‘one election’

MUMBAI: The committee appointed by the state government on holding the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections together will submit its report within four months, said finance minister and chairman of the committee, Sudhir Mungantiwar.

“We are thinking of holding all elections in the state together as the code of conduct is being announced for 315 days in all and the government administration gets affected,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had put forth the concept of “One nation, one election” by 2024. The Union government has asked all state governments to send in their views about the same. Elections to a few Assemblies including Maharashtra can be held early along with the Lok Sabha elections next year. Considering this, the report of the Mungantiwar committee is crucial in terms of senior officers studying the impact of the code of conduct on state administration.

Mr Mungantiwar said, “We are of the view of holding the elections of corporations and councils, too, along with the Lok Sabha and Assemblies. But various factors are involved which are being studied. The administration gets affected during the code of conduct.”