Election Commission rules out One Nation One Election

New Delhi: A day after BJP made a major push for the simultaneous polls across the country, the Election Commission on Tuesday categorically said to hold elections to the Lok Sabha and all state legislatures is not possible “without amendments in law”.

However, Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said that till 1967 simultaneous elections were held in the country, and even in future holding the polls in ‘installments’ for about 11 states could be worked out, if all state assemblies agree to the idea and recommend dissolution of the state level legislative bodies.

“Agar pura desh meim ek sath karane ki bath ho, mujhe legtha hei, amendments ke begar sambhav nahi hei (If you are talking about holding simultaneous election across the country, then I think it is not possible without amendment in law)”, Mr Rawat told reporters here.

However, he said if polls are to be held ‘in installments’ as is being suggested since Monday, “there can be certain permutation and combination”.

A BJP delegation on Monday handed over a letter from party chief Amit Shah to Law Commission pressing for One Nation One Election arguing that the new move will save the country to be in perpetual poll mode throughout the year.

CEC said “we see a possibility for such a scenario (polls in 11 states and for Lok Sabha together) only when the concerned state assemblies agree to idea and advance the polls”.

According to officials in the poll panel, a broad suggestion on simultaneous polls has been sent to the government by the EC in 2015 itself.

“There is need for constitutional amendments as well as necessary changes in Representation of Peoples Act”, a source said adding after this stage there will be need to look at the issues concerning logistics especially electronic voting machines, VVPAT and also on deployment of security forces and other polling personal.

Earlier during the day, the Congress party flayed BJP for approaching the Law commission proposing simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies.

Party leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot maintained that postponing elections to the four states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Mizoram will be questioned in the court of law. (UNI)