Continuous elections stall progress: Shivraj Chouhan at ONOE seminar

Lucknow, Apr 25 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday underlined the urgent need to implement simultaneous polls across India and said holding elections year-round brings development to a standstill.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Uttar Pradesh Nagarik Parishad during his first visit to Lucknow as part of the "One Nation, One Election" (ONOE) campaign, Chouhan said, "Every year, elections keep taking place, which hampers developmental work." "If elections are held simultaneously, development will take flight. It will also curb the misuse of government machinery," said Chouhan who is the national coordinator of the ONOE campaign.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had envisioned the idea of "One Nation, One Election" during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister, and the time has now come for everyone to work together to realise that vision.

Addressing the gathering at Gandhi Bhavan auditorium, Chouhan highlighted that the Model Code of Conduct imposed repeatedly due to frequent elections disrupts public welfare schemes and slows down governance.

"One Nation, One Election is not just an idea. It is the need of the hour for the country," he stressed. He also expressed gratitude to the Uttar Pradesh Nagarik Parishad for organising the seminar.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who was also the event convener, welcomed Chouhan and other dignitaries.

Echoing Chouhan's views, Pathak said, "Today, we've gathered to discuss an important national issue. Simultaneous elections will not only reduce the economic burden of conducting polls but also allow newly elected governments to focus on five uninterrupted years of development." He also paid tribute to the victims of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam and said that the perpetrators and their handlers would not be spared. "Our security forces are continuously taking action against them," he added.

BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary also spoke in support of the proposal, stating that frequent elections lead to a massive waste of resources and time.

Retired Justice Ranganath Pandey, who chaired the seminar, said that the frequent imposition of the Model Code of Conduct hampers the momentum of development and reiterated that the country must move towards a unified election system. PTI KIS SKY SKY

Source: PTI