Not worried over ‘one nation, one election': BJD

Bhubaneswar: With the Centre forming a panel to explore the possibility of 'one nation, one election', the ruling BJD in Odisha Friday said it will go with the nation if a legislation is made for holding Lok Sabha and state assembly polls simultaneously.

Former minister and senior BJD lawmaker Badrinarayan Patra said that the party is not worried about the simultaneous elections whenever it is held.

“Our chief minister Naveen Patnaik has always said that BJD is better prepared to face elections than any other political party in the state," he said.

Some states where assembly polls were held recently may suffer if one nation, one election is made a law. "But BJD has no such difficulties. Odisha has been holding simultaneous polls for Lok Sabha and the state assembly since 2004," Patra added.

Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said, “If there are no difficulties in making a law for the purpose, then the elections can be held at one time across the country. Let us see the Bill and then we can react in a proper manner. However, in different surveys it is felt that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been losing his popularity. As a result the BJP is afraid and therefore wants it to be held early.”

The issue has been examined by a parliamentary panel in consultation with various stakeholders, including the Election Commission.

The matter now stands referred to the Law Commission for further examination to work out a "practicable road map and framework" for simultaneous elections.

Officials said in Delhi that simultaneous elections will result in huge savings for the public exchequer and avoid replication of effort on the part of administrative, and law and order machinery in holding repeated elections. It will also bring considerable savings to political parties and candidates in their election campaigns.

Asynchronous Lok Sabha and assembly elections (including by-elections) in the states also result in prolonged enforcement of the model code of conduct with its concomitant adverse impact on developmental and welfare programmes, they said.