New Delhi: 32 political parties favour, 15 oppose

New Delhi : The high-level committee on 'one nation, one election' approached 62 parties out which 47 responded -- 32 in support of holding elections simultaneously, 15 against it.

Fifteen parties did not submit a response, according to the report of the panel submitted to President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday. Among the national parties, the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) opposed the proposal, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and National People's Party supported it. "Responses were received from 47 political parties.

Barring 15 political parties, the remaining 32 political parties not only favoured the system of simultaneous elections, but also advocated its adoption for saving scarce resources, protecting social harmony, and stimulating economic development," the report said. "Those who opposed simultaneous elections raised apprehensions that its adoption could violate the basic structure of the Constitution, be anti-democratic and anti-federal, marginalise regional parties, encourage the dominance of national parties, and result in a presidential form of government," it said. The AAP, Congress and CPI(M) rejected the proposal saying it undermines democracy and the basic structure of the Constitution, said the report. The BSP did not explicitly oppose it, but highlighted concerns regarding the large territorial extent and population of the country, which could make implementation challenging, said the report.