Simultaneous polls: Kovind panel to hold first meeting on September 23

The Ram Nath Kovind-headed committee on simultaneous polls will hold its first meeting on September 23 to discuss the line of action.

The government on September 2 had notified an eight-member committee to examine and make recommendations for holding elections to the Lok Sabha, the state Assemblies, municipalities and panchayats at the same time.

"The first meeting will take place on September 23," former President Kovind told reporters in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The meeting is scheduled to be held at Jodhpur Officers Hostel in the national capital.

The meeting will be an introductory one, wherein the members will discuss the issues arising out of the terms of reference and decide on an action plan for deliberations, consultations with the stakeholders, research on the subject, and preparation of the working reports, according to the notice issued in this regard.

The panel, which was notified by the law ministry, includes home minister Amit Shah, former leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, senior advocate Harish Salve, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash Kashyap, retired IAS officers NK Singh and former Central Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdury, who was the only opposition leader on this panel, declined to be its part and called the exercise an "eyewash".