Shiv Sena (UBT ) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that the even after the expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet not everyone was pleased and there was no celebration after the election victory.
Since coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often advocated holding all elections together, from Lok Sabha to state assemblies and local bodies. He argues that this will orient various elected bodies fully towards the development of the nation.
'One Nation, One Election' Bill: The high-level Committee on simultaneous elections constituted under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted its report, comprising 18,626 pages, to President Droupadi Murmu in March 2024.
The high-level committee led by former President Ramnath Kovind had recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step, followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday made a strong pitch for holding simultaneous polls across India to avoid "deviation, dilution and diversion" of the public work.
The 'One Nation, One poll' proposal is fundamentally anti-federal and anti democratic and thus, against the Constitution. It is a backdoor way of replacing our parliamentary democracy.
Addressing media persons after the all-party meeting on the issue, Singh said most parties supported the idea of holding simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
At an all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, Patnaik, who is also the BJD president, strongly advocated a re-look into the Land Acquisition Act and the Forest Conservation Act.
The government think-tank, NITI Aayog, had last year suggested synchronised two-phase Lok Sabha and Assembly polls from 2024 to ensure minimum campaign-mode disruption to governance.
According to it, an electronic voting machine (EVM), which includes a control unit (CU), a ballot unit (BU) and a VVPAT, costs about Rs 33,200.
Lok Sabha elections 2019: In its draft report, the Commission recommended changes in the Constitution and the electoral law to hold the massive exercise.
On Thursday, in Aurangabad, Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat said there are no chances anytime soon that simultaneous elections will take place for the state assemblies along with the Lok Sabha elections 2019.
The statement by the Chief Election Commissioner, which comes out a day after the BJP made a fresh push to hold Lok Sabha and assembly polls together, virtually rules out holding simultaneous polls any time soon.
Lok Sabha elections 2019: BJP president Amit Shah had on Monday written to the Law Commission stating his party was in favour of simultaneous elections, saying it would curb expenditure and ensure the nation is not in "election mode" throughout the year.
Odisha will face both general and assembly polls in 2019.
NITI Aayog had last year suggested synchronised, two-phase Lok Sabha and Assembly polls from 2024 to ensure minimum ‘campaign-mode’ disruption to governance.
The views would be sought from the EC after the submission of a report by the Law Commission, which is likely to recommend simultaneous election in two phases in 2019 and 2024.
The prime minister had said that like festivals, elections should be held on fixed dates so that governments can function for five years.
While addressing the joint sitting of Parliament on commencement of the Budget Session, Kovind stated that frequent elections impede the speed of development as officials have to assist in conducting polls.
Election Commission would be "logistically equipped" by September 2018 to hold simultaneous polls for Lok Sabha and assemblies, Election Commissioner O P Rawat said on Wednesday.
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