With the Centre forming a panel to explore the possibility of ‘One Nation, One Election’, the ruling Biju Janata Dal in Odisha on Friday welcomed the idea of a law for holding Lok Sabha and State Assembly polls simultaneously.
Former Minister and senior BJD MP Badrinarayan Patra said the party was not worried about simultaneous elections, whenever they were to be held.
“Our Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has always said that the BJD is better prepared to face elections than any other political party in the State," he said.
Some States where Assembly polls were held recently may suffer if One Nation, One Election were made a law. “But the BJD has no such difficulties. Odisha has been holding simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and the State Assembly since 2004,” Mr. Patra added.
Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said, “If there are no difficulties in making a law for the purpose, then the elections can be held at one time across the country. Let us see the Bill and then we can react in a proper manner. However, in different surveys it is felt that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been losing his popularity. As a result the BJP is afraid and therefore wants it to be held early.”
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The issue has been examined by a parliamentary panel in consultation with various stakeholders, including the Election Commission.
The matter now stands referred to the Law Commission for further examination to work out a “practicable road map and framework” for simultaneous elections.
Officials in the national capital said simultaneous elections would result in huge savings for the public exchequer and save the administrative and law and order machinery the effort of having to hold elections repeatedly. They said it would also bring in considerable savings for political parties and candidates in their election campaigns.
Asynchronous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections (including by-elections) in the States also led to prolonged enforcement of the model code of conduct with the concomitant impact on developmental and welfare programmes, they said.
