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No chance, says CEC about holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and all state assembly elections

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8 years ago

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No chance, says CEC about holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and all state assembly elections

Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat on Thursday, August 23, firmly ruled out any possibility of holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and the state assemblies without a “legal framework” in place.

“Koi chance nahi” (no chance at all), Rawat told reporters in Aurangabad when asked if it was feasible to hold the polls together.

“The lawmakers will take at least a year to frame a law that can be enforceable. This process takes time. As soon as the Bill to amend the Constitution is ready, we (the Election Commission) will know that things are now moving,” Rawat said.

He added that the Election Commission commences preparations for the Lok Sabha elections 14 months before the scheduled time frame of polling. “The Commission has a staff strength of just 400 but deploys 1.11 crore people on poll duty during elections.”

His clarification comes when Modi government is pushing for simultaneous polls and BJP chief Amit Shah making a strong pitch for the idea, contending that one election would check expenditure and ensure that the nation is not in “election mode” throughout the year which hampers decision making as the model code of conduct prohibits launch of new schemes.

In an eight-page letter to Law Commission chairman Justice BS Chouhan earlier this month, Shah had said holding simultaneous polls is not only a concept but a principle that has been successfully tried in the past and can be implemented. He alleged that said the opposition to simultaneous elections seems to be politically motivated.

Recently, a paper by the Law Commission also recommended holding the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in two phases beginning 2019.

Most opposition parties have scoffed at the idea despite the government’s many attempts to bring them on board. The Congress, Trinamool Congress, AAP, DMK, Telugu Desam Party, Left parties and the JDS have consistently opposed the proposal, questioning its feasibility and arguing that it would be against federal principles.

The Congress has also dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dissolve the Lok Sabha early and announce general elections along with polls in four states this year.

There has been some speculation in the recent weeks that Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram due this year end may be deferred and held simultaneously along with the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for April-May 2019.

While the term of the Mizoram Assembly ends on December 15, the terms of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan assemblies will end on January 5, January 7 and January 20, 2019, respectively.

CEC Rawat was earlier reported to have said that the Election Commission (EC), if need be, could conduct polls simultaneously in eight states, at the most, along with the Lok Sabha elections next year.

Rawat had said in 2019 the EC will have just enough voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units to hold elections in Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh (whose Assembly terms are already in sync with the Parliament) and another three states, at the most. Anything more than this will have to deal with logistical challenges.

“We need about 14 lakh (VVPAT) machines for Lok Sabha (elections) plus five states, whereas we have ordered 17.4 lakh (VVPAT) machines. There will be a cushion of 2.4 lakh units, which is enough to cover three large states. For instance, Madhya Pradesh needs 80,000 VVPATs. Any (three) other state(s) with such requirement can (also) be catered to (in 2019),” the CEC had said.

The Lok Sabha elections are due in April-May next year while Assembly polls to Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram are scheduled to be held later this year.

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Bengal to get BJP’s first CM as Suvendu Adhikari set to take oath today

Suvendu Adhikari will be sworn in as West Bengal Chief Minister, marking the BJP’s first government formation in the state.

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20 mins ago

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May 9, 2026

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Suvendu Adhikari is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, becoming the first leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party to head the state government.

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata and is expected to witness the presence of several senior BJP leaders and supporters from across the state.

Adhikari was unanimously elected as the BJP legislature party leader after the party secured a decisive victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. His appointment marks a significant political change in the state, where the BJP is forming the government for the first time.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several Union ministers are expected to attend the ceremony. Reports also indicate that the oath event has been planned on a large public scale to underline the BJP’s breakthrough in Bengal politics.

Adhikari emerged as one of the BJP’s key faces in Bengal after defeating Mamata Banerjee in the high-profile Nandigram contest in 2021 and later consolidating his position within the party’s state leadership.

Security arrangements have been tightened around the oath venue, while party workers have gathered in large numbers ahead of the ceremony. The event is being viewed as a landmark moment in West Bengal’s political history.

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Mamata beater Suvendu Adhikari set to become next West Bengal CM

Suvendu Adhikari emerged as the BJP’s choice for West Bengal Chief Minister after the party’s legislature meeting in Kolkata following its historic Assembly election victory.

Published

15 hours ago

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May 8, 2026

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Suvendu-Adhikari

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is set to become the next Chief Minister of West Bengal after being elected leader of the BJP legislature party during a key meeting in Kolkata on Thursday.

The development comes days after the BJP secured a decisive victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, ending the Trinamool Congress’ long rule in the state. Party leaders met in the presence of senior central leadership to finalise the chief ministerial face ahead of the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for May 9.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the legislature party meeting where Adhikari’s name was formally announced. Reports said the BJP leadership backed him after he emerged as the party’s strongest face in Bengal politics over the past few years.

Adhikari played a major role in the BJP’s campaign across the state and remained one of the party’s most aggressive leaders against the ruling Trinamool Congress. He also defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur during the Assembly elections, strengthening his position within the party.

The BJP’s victory is being viewed as a major political shift in West Bengal, where the party is set to form its first government. Adhikari, once a senior Trinamool Congress leader, had joined the BJP before the 2021 Assembly elections and later became Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly.

Following the announcement, celebrations were reported outside Adhikari’s residence in East Midnapore, with party workers distributing sweets and raising slogans in support of the BJP leader.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new BJP government is expected to take place in Kolkata on May 9, where Adhikari will officially assume charge as the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

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Suvendu Adhikari emerges frontrunner for Bengal Chief Minister post

Suvendu Adhikari has emerged as the leading candidate for the West Bengal Chief Minister post as BJP prepares to form its first government in the state. Reports suggest the new cabinet may also include two deputy chief ministers.

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20 hours ago

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May 8, 2026

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BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has emerged as the leading contender for the post of Chief Minister in West Bengal as the party prepares to form its first government in the state following its Assembly election victory.

The BJP legislature party is scheduled to meet in Kolkata to elect its leader, a decision that is expected to formally determine the next Chief Minister. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached Kolkata ahead of the meeting and is overseeing the selection process.

Sources cited in media reports suggest the new BJP-led government may also appoint two deputy chief ministers, a post that has remained vacant in West Bengal for nearly two decades. One of the deputy CM positions could reportedly go to a woman leader. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul is among the names being discussed for the role.

Another deputy chief minister could be chosen from north Bengal, with former Union minister Nisith Pramanik being seen as a possible contender, according to reports. There is also speculation that the BJP leadership may consider a representative from the tribal community for a senior cabinet role.

Adhikari, who played a key role in the BJP’s election campaign, defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur during the recently concluded Assembly elections. The BJP secured a two-thirds majority in the 294-member Assembly, paving the way for its first government in West Bengal.

The swearing-in ceremony for the new government is expected to take place on May 9 in Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and several senior BJP leaders are expected to attend the event.

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