Expenses, halt in development work: Three economists debate simultaneous elections

At a meeting of the joint parliamentary committee examining the 129th Constitution amendment bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, which are intended to facilitate simultaneous polls in the country, two economists supported the proposal pointing out that synchronised polls prevent expenses and developmental work being hindered owing to frequent elections.

- HT Correspondent

According to people aware of the details, Arvind Panagariya, chairman of the 16th Finance Commission and Surjit Bhalla, a former member of the Prime Minister‘s economic advisory Council spoke in favour of simultaneous elections. The third economist, former deputy chairman of the planning commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, is learnt to have said that Lok Sabha elections should be held separately from the state polls, but the possibility of holding all state elections together can be explored, said a person aware of the details.