The indelible ink: Indian elections.

EC geared for synchronised Centre, state polls by end 2018; BJP’s one nation, one poll idea

It’s not about money; holding same-time elections will kill India's diversity

Agency Report | Bhopal/New Delhi | 5 October, 2017 | 09:00 PM

The EC only informed about the logistical capability to conduct the elections in tandem, but several political parties do not support the move as it would against the very idea of a federal India and move towards a more Presidential form of governance, something Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to be personally in favour of to drive his agenda. The BJP has been pushing for simultaneous polls to state assemblies and Lok Sabha so as to be able to drive a national agenda even in regional polls. The Opposition parties, especially the Congress, have raised several concerns and the approval of all stakeholders is necessary to implement the move along with several amendments to the Constitution.

The Election Commission will be ready to hold simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and all state assemblies by the end of next year when it will have all the logistics ready, Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat has said.

However, the opposition was not impressed with the idea of simultaneous polls while two former Chief Election Commissioners supported it, saying the EC was fully capable of the exercise.

“A lot of things depend on the logistics. As of now, we do not have that many EVMs as are required. But the government has already sanctioned the money to the Election Commission and we have placed the orders (for EVMs and VVPAT machines) to the manufacturers,” Rawat said in Bhopal.

“In fact, we have started receiving the machines and will get all the deliveries by September 2018. After that we will be able to hold simultaneous elections,” Rawat said.

He added that the constitutional amendment needed for the exercise is not the EC’s concern and will have to be taken care of by the government.

Supporting Rawat’s stand, former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) S.Y. Quraishi said that the poll panel is capable of holding simultaneous polls if it has all the logistics.

“Usually, elections to at least four-five state assemblies are held along with the Lok Sabha polls. So to make it 10 states or 25 states is easy enough because the arrangements are the same, machinery is the same, security arrangements are the same. All we need is double the number of EVMs and VVPATs,” Quraishi said.

Another former CEC, N. Gopalaswami said the real issue is not whether EC can do it or not, but whether the terms of various state assemblies can be synchronised.

“The issue is whether simultaneous elections can be held. It depends on the provision of the law. The terms of different legislatures end at different points of time. So if they can be synchronised through a provision of law is an issue. That is the issue, and not whether EC can do it or not,” Gopalaswami said.

However, political opponents were not amused by the proposal.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashutosh said that the idea will “kill” Indian diversity. “Holding assembly elections along with Lok Sabha elections will be killing India’s diversity. It is not a financial issue. Though they (government) claim that money will be saved (by holding simultaneous polls) but the amount saved would not be much…you can calculate. It is important to protect India’s democracy,” Ashutosh said.

Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed said the Modi government is looking for an escape route now.

“Modiji is hassled now at the way things are on the economic and political fronts. Now there is a mess, they are now trying to find an escape route by holding elections early,” Ahmed said.
Meanwhile, the Congress said it was ready to face the Lok Sabha elections any time.

Reacting to reports that the Narendra Modi government might be planning for early General Elections, Congress Spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Election Commission must have been sounded out by the government on the matter but the Congress had no knowledge of it.

“The Election Commission has a constitutional obligation to conduct free and fair elections and be ready to conduct elections on an appropriate notice from the government. So the EC must have been sounded out by the current Bharatiya Janata Party-led government that they were going to advance parliamentary elections. The Congress has no such knowledge,” he said.

“However, we are prepared to face elections any time,” he added.

Surjewala said the country’s people are “fed up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s jumlas (pet phrases)” and the way his government is going about “decimating jobs, businesses as also trade and agriculture” in the country.

“So, I think the people will give a befitting reply, just like they did in 2004 during the ‘India Shining’ campaign to the (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee government if elections are advanced. People are waiting for General Elections to happen so that they can actually ask Modi-ji as to where the ‘acchhe din’ (good days) promised by him are,” the Congress leader said. (IANS)