The desirability of holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas has been discussed at various levels. A considered view is that simultaneous elections will ...
The desirability of holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas has been discussed at various levels. A considered view is that simultaneous elections will not only keep alive the enthusiasm of voters, but will also result in huge savings to the public exchequer as well as avoiding repetition of administrative effort. It is also expected to control the expenses of political parties. Simultaneous elections will also avoid repeated enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct which affects administrative actions by the government.
President of India, His Excellency Shri Pranab Mukherjee has also expressed his views on the desirability of holding simultaneous elections. Speaking at a recent function, The President said that “With some election or the other throughout the year, normal activities of the government come to a standstill because of code of conduct. This is an idea the political leadership should think of. If political parties collectively think, we can change it.... The Election Commission can also put in their idea and efforts on holding the polls together and that will be highly beneficial”
Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has spoken several times on considering the feasibility of holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. In two recent TV discussions, the Prime Minister reiterated this idea and invited a national debate on the issue.
Debate on the Issue - A Brief History
In India, simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha (House of The People) and Vidhan Sabhas (State Legislative Assemblies) were organized in the years 1951-52, 1957, 1962 and 1967. Thereafter, however, the schedule could not be maintained and the elections to the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabhas have still not been realigned.
The next General Election to the Lok Sabha is scheduled for 2019. Elections for the Vidhan Sabhas of 5 States are scheduled for 2017, for 13 States in 2018, for 9 States in 2019, for 1 State 2020 and the remaining are scheduled for 2021.
The issue of simultaneous elections was debated by the Law Commission in its 107thReport in 1999 (Reform of Electoral Laws) , where in it was mentioned that – “The rule ought to be one election once in five years for Lok Sabha and all Legislative Assemblies” ( Para 7.2.1.1 of the Report). Recently, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice presented its 79th Report on ‘Feasibility of holding Simultaneous Elections to the House of People (Lok Sabha) and State Legislative Assemblies’ on 17th December 2015.
Several structural changes will need to be done in case a decision is made to conduct simultaneous election, including possibility of Constitutional amendments to Articles 83, 172, 85 and 174 to streamline the process.
Seventy Ninth Report Parliamentary Standing Committee for PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES, LAW AND JUSTICEMyGov Discussion
MyGov invites citizens, Parliamentarians, Members of Legislative assemblies and councils, constitutional experts, academics experts, bureaucrats, social media influencers, Think Tanks and all other interested people to give their considered view on the subject. The issues that can be considered while formulating a view are (only an indicative list and not exhaustive):
1. Is it desirable to hold simultaneous elections? What are the pros and cons?
2. If simultaneous elections are held, then for the first time what happens to assemblies whose scheduled tenure either ends before or after the proposed date of holding elections?
3. Should the term of Lok Sabha and assemblies be fixed?
4. What would happen in case by-elections are necessitated in between terms?
5. What happens in case the ruling party or coalition loses majority in between term, either in Lok Sabha or in State assemblies?
You may submit your opinion by either writing in the comment box below, or by attaching a PDF document, or through a Youtube video.
The last for submitting your opinion is 15th October, 2016.
#SimultaneousElections
This seems to be a very good idea of breaking the election cycle presently followed in our country. Likewise a major constitutional amendment of GST was carried out with compensation to some losing states by the central government, the same shall be implemented for those states in holding simultaneous elections along with LS polls for which the assembly is dissolved ahead of time. States shall be brought under this on GDP-Current assembly time left ratio.
In a ideal situation, elections to Parliament and State Assemblies should be held simultaneously. It would be much economical and much easier to make all arrangements.The political parties will also require to spend much less on electoral expenses.However, this cannot be done in one go , it has to be a gradual process.
Elections in our country is no less important and sacrosanct than any festival. With Indian democracy, the people too have matured. Repeated elections have instilled in the people of this nation required skill to cast vote, in fact everyone has graduated in taking part in electoral activities...Now, let the people of this country perform some other tasks apart from performing election responsibilities..I have full faith in present lawmakers, they'll definitely do better for the next generation.
All elections should be simultaneously conducted or in two phase. one for parliament & assemblies, and second for local bodies. To achieve this, I suggest following.
1) The
2) Last assembly elections took place in 2016, in Assam. The term will End in 2021. So from now onwards, the term of all houses should be notified till early 2021.
3) The term of legislative assembly should be fixed to 5 years and it is the responsibility of elected members to form a govt rising above party lines.
4) In
#5. since one election for 5 yrs terms,in hang/disqualification/defection drama will come to and end so also horse trading,since if president hold office for remaining term,his office terms also need to be specified,now elected membership of ruling/opposition same to be present in parliament to work & support president, beyond party politics,and for there constituency development, with this all political scrap will be eliminated,only true nationalist will transform development.
At a time elections for India can save time.But the main issue comes from the politicians view of making law and order easy for their makings.At a time elections should involve large number of security also conducting at a time elections now present ruling state government gets a problem for them.But conducting simultaneous elections we can save money for the nation also central government can escape from election code which comes for them in every state where election is going on.
Elections involve public money and therefore must be sychronized to be held together saving costs. Moreover, there must be a right to recall resting with the citizens which must allow them to recall the govt. if it does not deliver. There must be an action plan initiated by the govt. and timelines for them defined. The reports for the delivered action must be released with the budget session. It's high time to consider the structure of the governance and the duties performed by representatives.
