BJP chief Amit Shah made a strong pitch to the Law Commission on Monday to take lead in starting a constructive debate on holding simultaneous elections in the country.
His letter to the Commission comes at a time when there is talk a about the possibility that the next Lok Sabha polls can be held along with a dozen odd states.
Giving example of countries like Indonesia, Sweden, Italy, South Africa and Belgium for successfully implementing simultaneous polls, Shah in his eight-page letter addressed to Law Commission Chairman, former Supreme Court judge Justice Balbir Chouhan asserted that the step would help in checking unnecessary expenditure besides preventing wastage of time and arresting the tendency to give poll sops.
The letter was delivered to Chouhan by a four-member BJP delegation comprising Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Bhupender Yadav and Anil Baluni.
The Law Panel, which is examining the feasibility of holding simultaneous polls, had sought the views of the political parties before finalising its report. Both the BJP and Congress had stayed away from consultation organised by the commission in this regard last month.
Later, in a separate meeting with the commission, the Congress opposed the concept saying it was not feasible and that it was against the federal structure.
Citing India's own example when simultaneous elections for both Lok Sabha and all states were conducted successfully from 1951-52 to 1967, Shah said there was no reason why they cannot be held again and added that the opposition to simultaneous polls seems to be politically motivated.
Shah said the claim that holding two sets of polls was against the federal structure of the country is a 'baseless' argument.
Referring to a discussion paper "Simultaneous Elections: The What, When and How" prepared by the NITI Aayog, Shah said, the government had spent Rs 1,115 crore alone in 2009 Lok Sabha elections which increased three times to Rs 3,870 crore in 2014.
"The Election Commission in its report has said that simultaneous polls can be completed at a cost of Rs 4,500 crore which is much less than the amount that is being spent," said Shah adding that it would also avoid delays in policy making because of model code of conduct.
Precendents:
BJP chief Amit Shah in the letter cited example of countries like Indonesia, Sweden, Italy, South Africa and Belgium where simultaneous polls are conducted.
He also cited India's own example when simultaneous elections for both Lok Sabha and all states were conducted successfully from 1951-52 to 1967.
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