BJP President Amit Shah on Monday supported a proposal to hold simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies, saying it would check expenditure and ensure that the nation is not in “election mode” throughout the year.

In a letter to the Chairman of the Law Commission, Balbir Singh Chauhan, Shah said holding simultaneous polls is not only a concept, but a principle that can be implemented. Shah said the claim that holding two sets of polls was against the country’s federal structure is a “baseless” argument.

The view has been opposed by other parties, especially the Congress, which has argued that simultaneous elections are a “constitutional perversity”. The party had asserted that the intent of the ruling party is to replace parliamentary democracy and the spirit of federalism with authoritarianism and long spells of President’s Rule.

Shah, however, argued that simultaneous polls would strengthen the federal structure of the country.

In his eight-page letter, the BJP chief said the opposition to the proposal seems politically motivated. The Law Commission, which is examining the feasibility of holding simultaneous polls, had sought the views of the political parties before finalising its report.

Both the BJP and Congress had stayed away from a consultation meeting organised by the Commission in this regard last month. The Congress had met the Commission top brass recently where it had opposed the concept.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a big votary of holding simultaneous elections.

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