New Delhi, 14 March 2024
In a significant development, the high-level committee on simultaneous elections, led by former president Ram Nath Kovind, presented its exhaustive report to President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The monumental 18,626-page study is the culmination of extensive consultation and research spanning close to seven months.
Formed on September 2, 2023, the committee was entrusted with the task of investigating and offering suggestions on the feasibility of holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, municipalities, and panchayats. The report represents the collective efforts of the committee members, who engaged in comprehensive discussions with experts and stakeholders over a period of 191 days.
The committee, chaired by former president Ram Nath Kovind, comprises members including Home Minister Amit Shah, former Rajya Sabha Opposition Leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Finance Commission Chairman N.K. Singh, former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash Kashyap, and prominent counsel Harish Salve.
The committee has advised the Election Commission of India to work with state electoral organizations to develop a single electoral roll and voter identity cards. It has also proposed several constitutional modifications, a majority of which do not require state approval.
Prateeksha Kumari is a journalist and strategic communications professional specialising in digital journalism, political reporting, and public affairs. Her work focuses on grassroots issues, governance, and civic developments, with an emphasis on clarity, accuracy, and narrative-driven reporting.
She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla and has qualified the UGC-NET examination, reflecting her academic grounding in media studies and communication research. Her reporting spans politics, public policy, health, education, and socio-economic issues, and she is experienced in bilingual (Hindi and English) content creation tailored to diverse audiences.
Alongside her journalistic work, she brings experience in political communication and public relations, where she has contributed to campaign messaging, media outreach, and narrative building. She has worked on integrated communication strategies across print and digital platforms, combining editorial judgment with audience insight and data-led content approaches.