NEW DELHI: Simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies may not be possible in the near future even if legal requirements are met as the Election Commission of India will not be equipped with enough EVMs and VVPAT machines for the exercise anytime soon. The Election Commission had on Wednesday said that it was “logistically equipped” by September 2018 to hold simultaneous polls.Nirvachan Sadan insiders pointed to a letter that EC had sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice on May 5, 2016, where it said that the commission would need at least 25 lakh VVPAT units for simultaneous polls. The proposal of holding simultaneous elections has been floated several times in the past.However, a consensus among political parties on the issue has not emerged. The main reasons cited for holding simultaneous polls are saving huge expenditure on frequent polls, ending “policy paralysis” due to imposition of model code of conduct and saving harassment to huge manpower on poll duty. The NDA government also invited suggestions from the people on the issue.“We are the political party which has always supported simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Source: Times of India October 05, 2017 19:48 UTC