CPI Opposes Simultaneous Polls, Says Election Commission Is Toeing BJP’s Line

The Communist Party of India (CPI) today alleged that the Election Commission is toeing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) line on the issue of holding simultaneous polls for Lok Sabha and assemblies and termed the proposal as "not feasible".

Party's Rajya Sabha member D Raja said the proposal of the central government is "not practical" as it "can't force all state governments to go for polls during Lok Sabha elections". His reaction came after the Election Commissioner O P Rawat said that the EC would be logistically equipped by September 2018 to hold Lok Sabha and Assembly polls simultaneously.

"It is the BJP line, the ruling party has always propagated one nation, one culture, one poll theory. And now the Election Commission (EC) is also speaking in the same language. It is toeing the BJP line," Raja told PTI.

Referring to the diverse political situation in the country, the Left leader said that the Constitution has clearly defined multi-party democracy and simultaneous polls are not feasible as the "central government can't force all state governments to go for polls during Lok Sabha elections".

"The Constitution is very clear regarding the tenure of assemblies and the Lok Sabha," Raja said.

The Left parties along with the Congress and the Trinamool Congress had earlier voiced their opposition on the issue of holding simultaneous polls in the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice which was called to elicit the opinions of political parties regarding the issue.

On December last year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice in its 79th Report said that several structural changes will be needed in case a decision is made to conduct simultaneous election, including the possibility of constitutional amendments to Articles 83, 172, 85 and 174 to streamline the process. (PTI)