New Delhi, June 26: Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today favoured simultaneous polls for Parliament and state assemblies. Speaking at a book release function here, Shekhawat said that linking the two elections would help reduce wasteful expenditure and enable decision-makers to frame proper policies.
Asserting that imposition of Value Added Tax was a must given the engagement with world trade organisation, he pointed out that government had to move back from adopting the measure given the impending polls this winter. Shekhawat said if simultaneous elections were held then it could give enough space for electorate to understand the pros and cons of the proposed changes without being swayed away by electoral considerations.
On the issue of good governance, he said judicial reforms were essential ingredient for it adding that the faith in the system was a precondition for such change. Shekhawat was also critical of the multiplicity of definitions being adopted by various agencies on the issue of poverty.
Speaking on the occasion, Planning Commission member Sompal admitted that even the tenth plan had failed to come out with a roadmap for economic growth which would take care of employment concerns fully.
Sompal added that unless growth created employment opportunities chaos would result.