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.
I think there should be President rule in INDIA, soo many parties with their own way to change India.... But if there is just 1 guy who has the power to all the states for atleast 5 years. It makes sense ryt, even the police are rude to people . India cant be changed till tiz old rule of democracy is gone..... Its sad to born here where a middle class person has go through tiz quota ting, police doesn't help, everywhere gangsters,.... Lost hope here
It is a good initiative. Holding simultaneous elections will improve the governance and reduce its need to go for populist measures all the time. But a mechanism should also be there to address what happens in case a govt falls. I think there should be 3 elections in five years rather than 2, but not any more than that.
બને ચુંટની ઓ એક સાથે કરવાથી ભારત દેશનો સમય બચશે.બને ગ્રુહ (MP and MLA) both are arranged same year and no more military power invest in elections..hard but possible because India have intellectual country..
Elections for all, local, regional, state and national level positions should be simultaneous.
Also, no regional parties should be allowed to contest at national level to gain blackmailing powers.
Measures to bring transparency in e-voting also needed. Voter should get some confirmation about his vote being added to his candidate's count.
No long campaigning, but one single platform should be provided by Govt to all candidates to spell their commitments, to be recorded, monitored later.
It is a brilliant thought, as holding elections one after another is such a huge logistical nightmare besides being a drain on resources as money, manpower and time. Its a great thought that the government has and am fully agreeable. We need such forward looking changes. Keep it up Modiji, I also congratulate the Modi administration for being sensible, honest and practical. Wish you all the very best!
Simultaneous Elections are a poor idea. We cannot let our democracy be subjugated further to the politicians & I give my reasons
1. Elections are the time when the political parties misuse official machinery the most. When the election is held in a state , at least the opposition in that state will point out to that misuse , and try to curtail it. if there are simultaneous elections. The opposition party in one state might be the ruling party in another state, so all will join hands and loot.
India is a country of different religions, different castes, different languages and different traditions. In 1984, after Smt. Indira Gandhi's Death, Congress Party secured more than 350 seats in lok sabha. If at all State Government Elections were also held in 1984 itself, Congress party might have won elections in 90 % states. This leads to dictatorship. For a country like India, Simultaneous Elections are not good.
There is a solution if the opposition agree. They say if government loses its mandate, the said system will not work as it is impractical. But what happens presently if a MLA or MP dies or resigns? Fresh election is taken and the tenure of the said elected representative is only till the tenure of elected assembly or Lok sabha. So if state or central government loses its mandate, the re-election could be held for the remaining balance tenure. This way the system will continue.
