<p>Favouring simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls, the Election Commission on Sunday said all political parties need to be brought on board before such an exercise is carried out.<br /><br />“The Election Commission has always been of the view that simultaneous elections will give enough time for incumbent government to formulate policies and implement programmes continuously for a longer time without interruptions caused by imposition of model code of conduct,” Election Commissioner O P Rawat told PTI here.<br /><br />He said conducting the polls together would be possible only when necessary changes in the Constitution and Representation of the People Act are carried out.<br /><br />Existing legal and constitutional provisions mandates that elections are to be held within six months ahead of the end of the term of a state assembly or the Lok Sabha.<br /><br />Rawat said after the constitutional and legal framework are in place, it would be feasible to seek all the logistical support and conduct simultaneous elections.<br /><br />“Commission may conduct such elections after six months (after constitutional and legal changes are made),” the Election Commissioner said.<br /><br />He said bringing all political parties on board is an imperative for holding the simultaneous polls.<br /><br />The assembly elections for Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha are due in mid-2019, along with the next general polls.<br /><br />Rawat said the Election Commission was in 2015 asked to give its view on the synchronised polls.<br /><br />“The Commission gave its views on the matter in March that year. It had suggested few steps that need to be taken before such elections are made feasible,” he said.<br /><br />Rawat said it would be logistically possible to hold the elections together if sufficient time is given to the Commission.<br /><br />There will be requirement of 24 lakh each Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) Machines.</p>
<p>Favouring simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls, the Election Commission on Sunday said all political parties need to be brought on board before such an exercise is carried out.<br /><br />“The Election Commission has always been of the view that simultaneous elections will give enough time for incumbent government to formulate policies and implement programmes continuously for a longer time without interruptions caused by imposition of model code of conduct,” Election Commissioner O P Rawat told PTI here.<br /><br />He said conducting the polls together would be possible only when necessary changes in the Constitution and Representation of the People Act are carried out.<br /><br />Existing legal and constitutional provisions mandates that elections are to be held within six months ahead of the end of the term of a state assembly or the Lok Sabha.<br /><br />Rawat said after the constitutional and legal framework are in place, it would be feasible to seek all the logistical support and conduct simultaneous elections.<br /><br />“Commission may conduct such elections after six months (after constitutional and legal changes are made),” the Election Commissioner said.<br /><br />He said bringing all political parties on board is an imperative for holding the simultaneous polls.<br /><br />The assembly elections for Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha are due in mid-2019, along with the next general polls.<br /><br />Rawat said the Election Commission was in 2015 asked to give its view on the synchronised polls.<br /><br />“The Commission gave its views on the matter in March that year. It had suggested few steps that need to be taken before such elections are made feasible,” he said.<br /><br />Rawat said it would be logistically possible to hold the elections together if sufficient time is given to the Commission.<br /><br />There will be requirement of 24 lakh each Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) Machines.</p>