Simultaneous polls not possible without legal framework, says Chief Election Commissioner amid BJP push

Simultaneous polls not possible without legal framework, says Chief Election Commissioner amid BJP push

Get news about Simultaneous polls not possible without legal framework, says Chief Election Commissioner amid BJP push Rawat's remark one day after BJP formed a strong pitch for elections together, party president Amit Shah argued that an election will be investigated for expenditure and it will ensure that the country is not in the "election mode" for the whole year.

Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said on Tuesday that parallel elections are not possible without the legal framework and stressed that constitutional amendment will be required for any expansion or deficiency of the assembly period.

"If there is a need to reduce or expand the duration of some state assemblies, a constitutional amendment will be required ... logistics system will be a hindrance in relation to the 100 per cent availability of VVPAT (Paper Trail Machine)," Rawat told On the question asked reporters, the elections can be organized simultaneously soon.

He said, "On the issue of a survey of one nation, the Election Commission had given input and suggestions to us in 2015 ... other requirements of additional police force, voting personnel will also be required."

Rawat's remark one day after BJP formed a strong pitch for elections together, party president Amit Shah argued that an election will be investigated for expenditure and it will ensure that the country is not in the "election mode" for the whole year. In an eight-page letter to the Chairman of the Law Commission, Shah said that holding elections together is not only a concept but a principle which has been successfully tried in the past and it can be implemented.

The CEC said that whenever the state assembly expires, the election panel will continue to hold the responsibility of holding elections.

Election Commission is in the process of procuring new EVMs and VVPATs before the Lok Sabha elections of 2019. Rawat had earlier said that all necessary EVMs - 13.95 lakh ballot units and 9.3 lakh control units will be distributed by September 30, 16.15 lakh VVPATs will be distributed even before the end of November.

If the elections are held in the year 2019 along with the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies, EC will need around 24 lakh EVMs, only the number required to hold parliamentary elections will be doubled.