Modi Hails Approval for Simultaneous Elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Union Cabinet's approval of a high-level panel’s recommendations to hold simultaneous national and state elections. This move aims to make India's democracy more vibrant and participative by phasing in concurrent polls for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Wednesday that the Union Cabinet has approved the recommendation to hold national and state elections simultaneously. This decision is seen as a significant step towards enhancing the vibrancy and participative nature of India's democracy.

The Cabinet's green light came after a high-level panel conducted a nationwide consensus-building exercise. The approved recommendations call for phased simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies.

''The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I commend our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, for leading this effort and involving a wide array of stakeholders,'' the Prime Minister posted on X. Modi, a long-time advocate for the idea, argues that continuous elections impede development and lead to unnecessary expenditure.

(With inputs from agencies.)