Government does not rule out possibility of 'Poll special trains'

Government did not rule out the possibility of running 'election special' trains on the line of festival specials which are introduced to cater to peak season demand on certain routes

New Delhi: Government on Wednesday did not rule out the possibility of running 'election special' trains on the line of festival specials which are introduced to cater to peak season demand on certain routes.

Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha told the Lok Sabha that running of such trains is 'demand driven.'

"We will keep in mind the suggestion of the member," he said responding to a supplementary.

Though the question did not specify the purpose an 'election special' train would serve, there have been demands to run such trains to various parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to allow voters of these states working elsewhere to reach their native places to vote in Lok Sabha and assembly polls.

Several people from these states prefer not to change their constituencies when they go elsewhere to work.

The Election Commission has time and again noted that anyone seeking to be part of the electoral roll at a new place is free to do so by filling up two forms -- one to become part of the electoral roll of his place of work and the other to get his or her name removed from the rolls of his or her native place.

Responding to another question, Sinha said while Antodaya train will be run on regular fare, the Tejas and Hamsafar trains will have 'dynamic pricing'.

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