BJD seeks synched polls

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New Delhi: With a view to reducing extra burden on the state exchequer, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Wednesday urged the Election Commission of India (EC) to hold the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously in the state.
BJD MP Pinaki Mishra Wednesday met the Chief Election Commissioner and submitted a memorandum requesting the CEC to hold Assembly elections along with Lok Sabha polls in the state even if the Centre advances the LS polls.
“We have requested the EC that in the event of early elections to be recommended by the Centre, state elections should be held simultaneously. Otherwise in normal course we are due to go to elections with the Central government,” said Mishra.
He said if the BJP advances elections then we should go simultaneously because if elections are held separately then Odisha will have to spend Rs 1,000 crore more which a state like Odisha can ill-afford and there is a prolonged period of enforcement of model code of conduct.
In a written memorandum submitted to the EC, it said the poll expenditure is shared on a 50:50 basis irrespective of whether they are Lok Sabha or Assembly elections. The expenditure towards law and order is borne by the state governments, Mishra said.