NEW DELHI: A robust exchange of contrasting views on Wednesday marked the first meeting of a parliamentary panel scrutinising two bills on conducting simultaneous polls, with opposition members criticising the concept as an attack on the basic fabric of the Constitution and federalism, and BJP MPs hailing it as reflective of the popular view.
The MPs attending the meeting of the 39-member Joint Parliamentary Committee expressed their views and asked questions following a presentation by the Ministry of Law and Justice on the provisions of the bills and the rationale guiding them.
A number of opposition MPs, including Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, questioned the claim that simultaneous polls will reduce expenditure. They asked if any estimate was made following the 2004 Lok Sabha elections when EVMs were used for the first time in all 543 seats and are believed to have brought down the cost incurred.
