Govt may call all-party meet on simultaneous polls

Seeking to evolve a consensus on holding simultaneous election to Lok Sabha and state assemblies, the government is mulling convening an all-party meeting on the issue after the Law Commission recommends a legal framework on the matter.

Sources in the government said an all-party meeting could be convened in the coming days to widen the ambit of discussion among politicians on the issue of simultaneous polls.

But no final decision has been taken as yet on convening the meet.

The government, they said, is awaiting the report of the law panel which would lay down the legal framework of holding the two elections together.

They said once the report is with the government, it will have broad talking points.

The law panel, which is examining the feasibility of holding simultaneous polls, had earlier sought the views of political parties before finalising its report. Both the BJP and the Congress had stayed away from the consultation organised by the commission.

The Congress had met the commission top brass recently where it had opposed the concept of simultaneous polls.

A paper by the Law Commission had recently recommended holding the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in two phases beginning 2019.

Political parties are divided on the issue. Besides NDA constituent Shiromani Akali Dal, the AIADMK, the Samajwadi Party and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti have supported it.

The Congress, Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, DMK, Telugu Desam Party, Left parties and the JD(S) have opposed the proposal.