Law Minister suggests SC Bar Association journal can start debate on simultaneous elections

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) newsletter launch asked whether the journal can initiate a debate on the need for holding simultaneous elections in the country.

Prasad said the country can't afford multiple elections as each separate election entails huge expenditure on security personnel, arrangements and once the model code of conduct kicks in a lot of decisions can't be taken.

"Can your journal provoke a debate in the country on whether we should have simultaneous election in the entire country," said Prasad, who was present at the launch of the inaugural issue of SCBA Times, a monthly journal started by the bar.

The event was attended by Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra, and other judges of the Supreme Court, including two out of the four dissenting judges, who held a press conference earlier this month against the allocation of cases by the CJI.

Two dissenting judges -- Justice Jasti Chelameswar and Justice Ranjan Gogoi gave a miss to the SCBA function, while Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Kurian Joseph attended the event.

On Monday, President Ram Nath Kovind pitched for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies in his address to both Houses of Parliament, saying that frequent elections impede the speed of development as officials have to assist in conducting polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been batting for simultaneous polls in the country, saying it would save a lot of resources.

--IANS

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