NEW DELHI: BJP chief Amit Shah on Monday wrote to the Law Commission batting for ‘one nation, one poll’ in the Country. In a letter to Law Commission Chairman BS Chauhan, Shah has emphasised that with multiple elections happening throughout the year, the Model Code of Conduct impedes the government’s developmental work.
Shah wrote, “Due to the current process of elections a situation is created where entire country is always in the election mode whether at national, state or local administration level due to which the national treasury has to take huge load for the smooth conduct of these periodic polls. This expenditure can be cut down by holding all such elections simultaneously in five years.”
In his eight-page letter, the Bharatiya Janata Party chief said the opposition to simultaneous polls seems to be politically motivated.The law panel, which is examining the feasibility of holding simultaneous polls, had sought the views of the political parties before finalising its report. While Modi has all along supported the concept of simultaneous polls, the Congress had met the Commission top brass recently where it had opposed the concept of simultaneous polls.
Suspend BJP chief’s RS membership: Congress
The Congress on Monday urged the EC to suspend Rajya Sabha membership of BJP chief Amit Shah for “submitting a false affidavit” before the poll panel. The party alleged that at the time of filing his nomination papers for RS election, Shah had mortgaged two of his properties to Kalupur Commercial Cooperative Bank in lieu of I25 crore loan for his son Jay Shah’s company Kusum Finserve LLP. Shah had willfully and deliberately concealed significant liabilities from his declaration, it said. Party spokespersons Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi also urged the EC to initiate proceedings against Shah for filing a false affidavit-which attracts up to six months’ imprisonment and/or fine-and to communicate with RS deputy chairperson to determine what further penalties may be imposed on Shah for breach of privilege.
Mamata’s nephew sends notice to Amit Shah
WB CM Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee on Monday sent a legal notice to BJP chief Amit Shah asking him to apologise within 72 hours for accusing him of corruption or face civil and criminal defamation cases. At his August 11 rally in Kolkata, Shah had alleged that the Centre sent I3.59 lakh crore to WB, but the money was usurped by the ‘syndicate’ run by ‘bhatija’.