Simultaneous election will not confuse voters: Prabhu

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Saturday said that voters would not get confused if parliamentary and state assembly elections were held simultaneously.

"We will have think about it if it promotes nationhood or dilutes the idea. In the past, we have found that people made wise decision when simultaneous elections were held.

"For example, Madhu Dandavate of Praja Socialist Party would win Lok Sabha seat from Rajapur in Maharshtra while his opponents won most of the six assembly seats (in same Lok Sabha constituency) when election for these seats was held on the same day," Prabhu said in his address at an event 'One Nation One Election, organised by the India Foundation.

"So it does not mean that people will make proper choice only if elections are held separately. Voters are matured enough to take decision and they can think differently. We must think about it simultaneous elections."

However, former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi took critical view of the idea.

There are issues such as anti-defection law, premature dissolution of Lok Sabh, fulfillment of promises by political leaders, security arrangement, he said.

Quraishi however said that the announcement of the idea by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not politically motivated as the same demand was made in the past including by Congress leader Vasant Sathe.

Lately, Modi suggested the plan of simultaneous elections, which has generated mixed reactions from all quarters. Some even called it BJP's political agenda.

--IANS

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