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.
Working in NIC and contributing as an IT Support Professional, I have been involved very closely in 10-12 elections with D.E.O.s/ R.O.s in both Parliamentary & Assembly Elections since last 24-25 years.
Conducting any election in India for PC /AC is an herculean exercise for the ECI and is time-bound.
So District Administration has to sacrifice many priorities development agenda for the sake of conducting free and fair election every time. So it should be held simultaneously.
If we held simultaneous elections following points can be introduced:-
1)Since both elections are to be held at a same time,we can held an "ELIGIBILITY TEST"for the leader.For a minor peon post there is throat cutting competition,isn't it a shameful act to give population and land to be governed by an ineligible person just because he is a son of a politician,he knows the skill of buttering to party chief,he has money enough to buy seats,money enough to manipulate the illiterate,poor
Yes there should be common election for loksabha and vidhansabha.because of these the wasting of money is reduce.at time of election ruling government take part in election activities instead focus on development of country.
Advantages are obvious.Only 3 problems. For Existing different termed Assemblies take a golden point. If remaining term is 2.5 years continue till 2024 else terminate in 2019.
If assembly needs to be dissolved in between, if remaining term is 2 yrs, Presidents Rule. Else reelection for only remaining period.
For Loksabha dissolution, if remaining term is 1 year, same PM as caretaker. Else, only Loksabha reelection for remaining period only.
Yes absolutely, Both elections should be held simultaneously, this will save time , resources, money, also this will provide sufficient time for any on going development work which will not get affected by any elections.
If it comes into reality then crores of public money which is earned in the form of taxes will be saved, the money that the political parties are earning and spending for votes will be reduced,making the political parties to take part in the development activity for the country instead diverting their attention from development to concentrating on election works, that comes in different parts of the country at different times. Lot of time and money manpower used for elections will be saved.
