India, March 14 -- The Ram Nath Kovind panel has come up with a detailed and plausible plan to have simultaneous elections for all three tiers of government. It has proposed simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies with polls to local bodies held within 100 days of these. The idea of one nation, one poll is a welcome one. The challenge, however, is in the procedural details and the fear that it militates against the federal structure and spirit of the Constitution. These are concerns that need wider consultations and a broader political consensus. The report needs to be discussed in Parliament and state assemblies.

At the outset, simultaneous elections are welcome for they will help avoid disruptions in governance due...