Parallel Lok Sabha, state polls may not be feasible: Quraishi

New Delhi, April 28: Holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies may be desirable but not feasible, former chief election commissioner S.Y. Quraishi has said.

Asked about suggestions to this effect by Prime Minister rendra Modi among others, Quraishi told IANS in an interview: “There are merits in the suggestion. The idea may be desirable but not feasible. “There are two basic merits in proposing simultaneous elections,” he explained. “The chief factor is the cost of elections both for the government and the EC (Election Commission) and the political parties. “Secondly, frequent elections can also result in enhancement of commulism and casteism and corruption in the form of vices like vote-buying and fund raising. “I said once, if the country is perpetually in election mode, there is no respite from these evils.” But as of now, simultaneous elections were not feasible, he said. “Moreover, voters may also may not reconcile well with local and tiol issues. Voters view local issues differently and these issues often overtake wider state and tiol issues.” Quraishi also said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trimool Congress were “absolutely wrong” in attacking the Election Commission. Quraishi, in fact, lauded the efforts of the poll panel in overseeing the staggered ongoing assembly elections in West Bengal.  (IANS)