Important step towards making democracy even more vibrant: PM on simultaneous poll move

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Wednesday that the Union Cabinet approving the recommendation to hold national and state elections simultaneously is an important step towards making India's democracy even more vibrant and participative. The cabinet on Wednesday accepted a high-level panel's recommendations for holding simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies in a phased manner after a countrywide consensus-building exercise.

"The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders," the PM said in a post on X.

The prime minister has been a strong votary of the concept and has repeatedly promoted the idea from various platforms, arguing that a continuous election cycle obstructs development works and causes avoidable expenditure among other factors.