Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about Simultaneous elections

New Delhi Feb 4: Finance minister Arun Jaitley has spoken about simultaneous elections but has ruled out deferring of state polls or advancing Loksabha elections. FM In an interview has said that "Government wants simultaneous elections, but it is not necessary that dates will be advanced for that."

He has also rejected the possibility that the Assembly elections in MP, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, due at the end of 2018, could instead be postponed and held along with the general elections and said that " such a move would need changes to the Constitution."

Jaitley added that "Till the time Constitution is changed, and there is consensus on the issues, the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections will not overlap And going by the reaction the issue evoked, it seems people (opposition) are not in favor of any such move".

FM's remarks assume significance because earlier there was speculation that the Government would advance Lokasabha polls or defer state assembly election to hold simultaneous elections.