Debate simultaneous polls: Pranab

Lauds Centre’s decisions on note ban and strikes across the LoC

President Pranab Mukherjee leaves after addressing the joint session of Parliament, ahead of the Union Budget, in New Delhi on Tuesday.

President Pranab Mukherjee, on Tuesday, called for a constructive debate on simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies and state funding of polls to eradicate money power.

During his customary address to the joint session of Parliament at the beginning of the Budget session, Mr. Mukherjee spoke about the need to debate these issues, which are pet themes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Frequent elections put on hold development programmes, disrupt normal public life and impact essential services and burden human resource with prolonged period of election duty,” he said.

“My government welcomes a constructive debate on simultaneous conduct of elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Funding of elections to eradicate misuse of money power also needs to be debated,” he said.

‘Bold decisions’

In a speech liberally peppered with Hindi and Sanskrit, including a reference to the northeastern States as “Ashtalakshmi”, Mr. Mukherjee referred to the government’s demonetisation decision to fight black money and corruption, and also the surgical strikes across the Line of Control as bold decisions. Many members thumped the desks in approval.

Referring to the surgical strikes, he said the government had taken decisive steps to give a fitting reply to the repeated incursions.

“On September 29, 2016, our defence forces successfully conducted surgical strikes at several launchpads along the Line of Control to prevent infiltration by terrorists. We are proud of the exemplary courage and valour displayed by our defence personnel and owe a debt of gratitude to them,” he said.

Praises people’s grit

On demonetisation, he said the resilience and forbearance demonstrated by the people, especially the poor, in the fight against black money and corruption were “remarkable”.

“My government’s very first Cabinet decision [in 2014] was to set up an SIT on black money,” he said.

He emphasised that “financial inclusion is key to poverty alleviation”.

An unprecedented 26-crore-plus Jan Dhan accounts had been opened for the un-banked”.

He also said that the government was taking special initiatives to develop Northeast India, including opening new road and rail routes to neighbouring countries.