Jammu, 10 March (H.S.): Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad strongly supported the proposal of simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies and said such a move will be in the interest of the country, will save time, improve governance and expedite development.

Appearing before the Joint Committee of Parliament examining the bills seeking to introduce simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, Azad also said that he has been a supporter of simultaneous polls since 1983, when the Indira Gandhi government was in power.

“I have been a supporter of the one nation one election for a long time. In 1983, when the Indira Gandhi government was in power, the Election Commission had suggested that the issue of simultaneous elections could be considered. I have supported that idea,” he told reporters after appearing on the panel, which is headed by BJP member P P Chaudhary.

The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said the number of elections has increased many old since then and as the general secretary in-charge of many states of the Congress, he had to get involved with the series of elections in the states.

“It often had happened that when one election came to an end, another election would come. The election process was unending. It was very difficult,” he said.

Azad said simultaneous elections would be in the interests of the country.

“Lakhs of officials are involved in elections. If simultaneous elections are held, offices will function, time will be saved, and there will be development and improvement in governance,” he said.

Chairman Chaudhary said Azad had spoken “in the interest of the country” and suggested that everyone should come together for the initiative keeping aside party line

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar