Simultaneous polls proposal Constitutional perversity: Cong

The Congress on Tuesday rejected the Central Government’s proposal for simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, saying it was a “constitutional perversity” and “preposterous”.

At a Press conference at the party headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the proposal, if accepted, would hit at the very core of democracy in India.

The Law Commission held consultations with political parties on the proposal for simultaneous elections.

Seeking to give shape to the Central Government’s concept of “one nation, one election”, the Law Commission’s internal working paper has recommended holding the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls simultaneously but in two phases beginning 2019.

Political parties were divided on the issue.  The BJD and the YSR Congress on Tuesday came out in support of holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections together. With the two parties favouring the concept of simultaneous polls before the Law Commission on Tuesday, a total of six parties are now in favour of the idea, while nine are opposed to it.

BJP ally Goa Forward Party opposed the concept as did TMC, AAP, DMK, TDP, CPI, CPI(M).