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.
All the elections should be held at the same time which has several advantages like cost cutting, man power reduction, same termed state and central govt, easy implementation of strategies, salaried employees can save leaves, people come out enthusiastically as its a once in a term phenomenon which results in high vote percentages and formation of stable govts.
parliament and Legislative election should be done on same day. Similarity, Municipality and Three-tier village panchayats election should be done on same day
We elect our representatives amongst the names having been given on the chart on EVM. Almost always it happens that none from the list of the candidates I wish to choose as my representative. In this case if I want to deliver my opinion, the way is cumbersome one, and surely my rejection will not acknowledged directly. So, on the EVM, the option, "NONE OF THE ABOVE" is necessary.
8. No one can impose election for their own personal benefit.
9. In this system people will have direct control over govt. In today’s system we can’t have any control as far as formation and functioning og central/ state government is concern.
We should think in this direction seriously to eliminate loopholes of today’s election system.
5. Task of election commission and police will become very easy as they will have to focus on 1/3 seats only.
6. It will be cost cutting method instead of today’s expensive and lots of manpower wasting election procedure. It will save public money at large.
7. People can have a chance to change the govt. at the end of two years if they feel to do so. Today we can do nothing for next five years once vote.
Advantage of this system will be:
1. People will have a right to express their opinion about govt. every two years. It will be a referendum of govt. functioning.
2. All the time govt. and opposition as well will remain alert for ever.
3. No govt. will consider people’s mandate as long time verdict for five years.
4. People have a right to rethink every two years for government functioning.
9. If it will less than two years, second highest voted candidate of last election will
represent in loksabha and vidhansabha, but he/she can’t have right to vote in
house.
