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.
National Election and Assembly elections should be conducted simultaneously.
This will prompt better utilization of taxpayers money and saved cost can be properly utilized in infrastructure development etc. Government should also think about casting of vote online to ensure maximum participation of young generation who are working in different city or state but carrying Voter id of their home state.
Elections for Centre and State should be held together. It will have foll. advantages-
1. Huge saving on time and money of our country.
2. Better centre State relations.
3. Model code of conduct stops working of govt. This would overcome the problem by having at one time.
4. Nation will get rid of election mode on regular basis.
I strongly suggest to have simultaneous elections. It may have have some concern like requirement of bigger election machinery, security force deployment but it will reduce confusion among public. I am really fed up with 1st General election then state election, then Local body election, then Gram Panchayat election...When will politicians work? Most of the time its "Model code of conduct".
Yes, to change the financial year from present April to March seems to be good proposal. Infact our present system was designed by Britishers as per their own convinience. But let us make a shift to suit our customes.May it be from Our New Year from Deepavali to Depavali when Indian formers also observe new year.
It very good idea. Will save money & time.
Please implement the voting method like ATM Machine KIOSK method. In this method an indian citizen can vote any were inside india. In KIOSK Machines by using UDID or Election ID smart cards user can authenticate and vote for their assembly/parliament members. And also announce the result @ end of the day. Bring next generation of election technologies digitally.
1. Considering security is taken care of, its good to conduct simultaneous elections. Cost saved, faster administration.
2. All assemblies should be dissolved at once and national election for both should be conducted.
3. yes.
4. By-elections if conducted should have their term ended along with others for which normal election was conducted.
5. Fresh election to be conducted but the tenure should be short as it should end along with those assemblies where regular election was conducted.
Yes... the elections should be conducted simultaneously for both Parliament lower house and state assemblies.
This will reduce unnecessary load on the central leadership. The current scenario is, the leadership is making lot of efforts to please the people of specific states that are about to undergo polls. Acts like that are effecting the policies, plans and other parts of nation.
Moreover, simultaneous elections reduce the election expenditure.
