Simultaneous assembly, Lok Sabha polls need of hour: Ashok Gehlot

Advocating electoral reforms, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot today said all political parties should consider simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls to reduce expenses.

"All political parties should take up this move jointly in public interest and only under extraordinary situation or exception should there be separate polls for the state assemblies," Gehlot told a select group of print media reporters on the eve of completing one year in office here.

Recalling his meeting with the chief  election commissioner Naveen Chawla recently in Delhi, Gehlot said he had asked for serious reforms in election code of conduct so that an elected government could perform and serve people during election period.

In last one year, the state had to go through LS, RS and assembly polls along with elections to civic bodies, he said, adding it was impossible to carry forward the developmental works initiated long back due to election code of conduct.

"If CEC brings any reforms in election code of conduct, the state election commission would also follow it for the civic bodies and panchayat polls", Gehlot said.