Let’s seriously consider one-time poll: Kovind

New Delhi

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pitch for ‘one nation, one election’ drew a mixed response, President Ram Nath Kovind today urged parliamentarians to “seriously” consider the “development-oriented” proposal, calling it the “need of the hour”.

Edit: One nation, one election

Addressing the customary joint session of both Houses of Parliament, President Kovind said a “very clear mandate” in recently held polls was for continuing uninterrupted the development journey the Modi government started in 2014.

Frequent elections had impacted the pace and continuity of development, he said.

“‘One nation, simultaneous elections’ is the need of the hour, which would facilitate accelerated development, thereby benefiting our countrymen. With such a system in place, all parties, according to respective ideologies, will be able to better utilise their energy towards development and public welfare. Therefore, I urge all MPs to seriously ponder.”

Listing the achievements and goals of the government for different sectors — farmers, women, youth, business class, defence personnel — for ‘New India’ in his hour-long speech, the President said the people of the country had given a very clear mandate in this election.

“After assessing the performance of the government during its first tenure, people have given even stronger support for the second term. By doing so, they have given a mandate for continuing uninterrupted and at an accelerated pace the journey of development which started in 2014,” he said. Kovind said the government in just 21 days had taken many decisions for welfare of farmers, soldiers, students, entrepreneurs and women.

Security scenario

India has amply demonstrated both her intent and capabilities, first through surgical strikes and then through air strikes after the Pulwama attack at terrorist hideouts across the border. In future, too, all possible steps will be taken to ensure our security

Global terror

The whole world stands with India on issue of terrorism and designation of JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN is a major testimony to this

Triple talaq

To secure equal rights for every sister and daughter, eradication of social evils like triple talaq and nikah halala is imperative. I urge all members to cooperate in these efforts to make lives of our sisters and daughters better and dignified

Saving water

The need of the hour is that the way the country has shown seriousness about ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’, the same seriousness be shown in ‘Water Conservation and Management’

Curbing corruption

My government will make the zero-tolerance policy against corruption more comprehensive and effective. The mission to eliminate corruption from public life and government services will be implemented with greater zeal