New Delhi: Taking forward the debate on holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for serious consideration of the proposal, saying it would benefit the country in many ways.
In addition to saving both money and manpower, holding the State and Lok Sabha polls at the same time would also save time and not come in the way of taking important decisions, which the government cannot do once the model code of conduct comes into effect, the Prime Minister said.
He said 2009 Lok Sabha elections cost the country Rs 1,100 crore while 2014 elections involved an expenditure of Rs 4000 crore, and this expenditure was excluding the money spent by candidates and political parties.His remarks came while delivering the valedictory address at the two-day conference jointly organised by the Law Commission and the NITI Ayog as part of the National Law day celebrations.
Mr Modi said the country had experienced the benefits of simultaneous polls in the beginning but 'things went wrong due to our own weaknesses.'He pointed out that in other countries of the world poll dates were fixed, because of which they don't have to remain in election mode, as it happened in India.
'On the Constitution Day, I want to take the debate forward. How can we run away from this debate,' he said. (UNI)