MP to Form Panel to Study Feasibility of Simultaneous Polls: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday came out in support of simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies.

The MP chief minister announced that his government would form a special committee to study the feasibility of holding the civic and other elections in the state along with the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have pressed for simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies to help save time and resources.

Several opposition parties, however, have opposed the idea, saying it was not realistic in the present situation.

"Elections take place every two or three months in the country. The polls held at different times hamper development. All the elections should take place simultaneously," Chouhan said at a press conference here.

The elections to the Lok Sabha, the Vidhan Sabha, gram panchayats, municipalities, zila panchayats, co-operative and others should be held together, he said, adding "the country should seriously think over this."

The chief minister said serious talks were underway in the country for electoral reforms, especially regarding holding all elections simultaneously.

"The prime minister had launched a campaign in this regard. President Ram Nath Kovind too had mentioned this in his address (to the joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament in January)," Chouhan added.

"I feel this is not so easy. But I am of the view that Madhya Pradesh should also contribute to this thought," he said.

So, to look at the feasibility of holding all elections of the state along with the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, the state government had decided to form a panel led by State Assembly Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra, he said.

"The committee will study and hold talks with a cross section of people for holding elections simultaneously. It is going to prepare a report," the chief minister said.

If the committee came out with worthwhile suggestions in three to four months, the state would forward the recommendations to the central government and the Election Commission, Chouhan added.