No chance at all, says Election Commission on simultaneous polls

Aurangabad: Putting to rest all speculation, Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat today emphatically ruled out the possibility of holding simultaneous elections to the state assemblies along with the Lok Sabha polls without a "legal framework" in place.

"Koi chance nahi" (no chance at all), Rawat told a select media meet in Aurangabad when asked if it was still feasible to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections.

The Lok Sabha elections are due in April-May next year while Assembly polls to Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram are scheduled to be held later this year. 

Earlier, the BJP had pushed for Lok Sabha and assembly elections to be held together. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, has been a vocal supporter of simultaneous polls.

However, Rawat had clearly stated that simultaneous elections are not possible without a legal framework as any extension or curtailment of the term of assemblies will require a constitutional amendment.

Opposition parties have also raised concern in the past over the proposal, saying simultaneous elections would dilute India's federal structure.