Simultaneous polls: Pranab Mukherjee urges EC to build consensus

Batting for simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies, President Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday urged the Election Commission of India to help build consensus among political parties on this issue.

Speaking on the occasion of National Voters’ Day, he said, “If political parties arrive at a consensus to make amendment to the Constitution and if the initiative is taken by the Election Commission, as they have earned the reputation of impartiality…I do believe that if political parties seriously agree on this issue with the help of Election Commission, it may be possible.”

Endorsing the idea, he said simultaneous polls will help reduce expenditure incurred during elections. This isn’t the first time that the President has spoken in favour of the proposal. In September last year, Mukherjee had endorsed the idea while addressing students of a Delhi school on the occasion of Teachers’ Day.