Will be difficult to provide security to all booths: Manipur Congress on 'One Nation, One Election'

Imphal: The Manipur unit of the Congress on Wednesday criticised the proposal for 'one nation, one election', saying it will be very difficult to provide security to all polling booths if simultaneous polls are held.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal for 'one nation, one election' as recommended by a panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

Manipur Congress working president K Devbrata Singh told reporters, "It will be very difficult to hold simultaneous elections in a country like India which has over 90 crore voters." "It will be very difficult to provide sufficient security to all polling booths simultaneously," he added.

The high-level Kovind committee had recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.

The panel had also proposed setting up of an 'Implementation Group' to look into the execution of the recommendations made by the committee.

It also recommended the preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission of India in consultation with state election authorities.

Manipur has been hit by an ethnic conflict between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kukis since May last year. The conflict has claimed over 200 lives and rendered thousands of people homeless.