NEW DELHI, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- India's federal government Wednesday accepted a recommendation from its own-appointed panel to hold together elections to state assemblies and the country's national parliament.

The recommendation has been accepted by the Indian cabinet, Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

"A large number of political parties across the political spectrum have actually supported the one nation, one election initiative," the minister said.

According to Vaishnaw, the cabinet accepted the panel's suggestions to roll out the plan in two phases. However, he did not put a date on the rollout plan.

"In the first phase, simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha (Indian parliament) and state assemblies will be held. In the second phase, all local body elections will be held within 100 days of the conclusion of the national election so that for the next five years, everyone can work to further the mission of national development," he said.

Officials say the proposal will now be tabled in parliament and must be cleared by both Houses -- the Lok Sabha (lower house) and Rajya Sabha (upper house) -- to become the law. Many opposition parties, including the main opposition Congress, have opposed the one nation, one election push.

"We don't stand with this. One nation, one election cannot work in a democracy. Elections need to be held as and when required if we want our democracy to survive," President of the Indian National Congress party Mallikarjun Kharge told media. Enditem

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