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.
contd..
Like stated above and in many comments holding elections simultaneously have many pros which should not be ignored as if this is done India will grow more than ever before.But to keep in mind the cons-mainly the assemblies whose scheduled tenure either ends before or after the proposed date of holding elections.for instance, if this is done wef 2019 the assemblies elected in 17/18 would oppose more strongly but again it would test of their period of holding tenure (2/n)
In my opinion it will be great to hold elections simultaneously but the main problem is lok sabha elections are done by keeping in mind the nation as whole while vidhan sabhas election are done with respecting states problems. so i think possible solution could be to hold VS elections altogether and with gap of 1 yr LS election should be held,in that way enormous money blocked in campaigning by different political parties in schedule like today would be reduced by major %age (1/n)
Respected sir, I think elections should not be held together because If elections held together then, the common man is unable to know a new politician whether is good or not, he will fulfill our needs or not. For example In case of Delhi, Most of the people go with AAP and sorry to say that its a lesson for the public of delhi and other states to think atleast once before giving vote to this govt. .And simultaneous elections also increases the burden of the agencies involved in the elections.
I feel that this is a very good step which should had been done before. All elections of MPs, MLA, Councillors and Gram Panchyat should be held togrther. It will save lots of Tax Payers money as well as saving of man power, pollutions gunda gardi etc. Only problem in this formula is that if any elected body get dissolved what will happen to that state or centre or local bodies. I suggest in that case if the time is left less then two year then the state or centre rule can be incorporated or if h
Election of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas should have to be simultaneously. It would save lot of gov time, and helpful for voters as well. It will be cost-effective as well. I support for Simultaneous elcetion. I Request Central Gov and Election commission for implementation of same.
पूर्व से आगे...
तथा मतदाता को किसी भी चुनाव से पूर्व सामयिक मुद्दों व परिस्थितियों के अनुरूप निर्णय लेने का समय मिल सके। हॉ राज्य सरकारों के चुनाव साथ होने से यह फायदा होगा कि जैसा कि वर्तमान में प्रत्येक वर्ष किसी न किसी राज्य के चुनाव होते हैं तो राजनेताओं, मीडिया,सरकार,जनता आदि सभी का ध्यान वर्ष पर्यंत केवल आने बाले चुनाव पर लगा रहता है वही चर्चा का बिषय होता है। इससे न केवल आवश्यक सामाजिक-आर्थिक मुद्दों पर विचार, चर्चा व निर्णय सभी चिजें चुनाव की भेट चढ जाती हैं साथ ही आचार संहिता के कारण..
केंद्र सरकार व राज्य सरकार के चुनाव साथ-साथ हों या नही, इस पर विचार से पूर्व इस बात पर पर विचार जरूरी है कि सभी राज्यों के चुनाव साथ में होने चाहिए या नही ? तो इस बात पर मेरा मत है कि सभी राज्यों के चुनाव एक साथ चरणबद्ध तरीके से कराया जाना चाहिए और उसके बाद केंद्रीय सरकार के चुनाव कराये जाने चहिए। क्योंकि राज्य व केंद्र के मुद्दे निश्चित रूप से अलग होते हैं तथा एक स्थानीय मुद्दों व परिस्थितियोंं के बहाव में केंद्र सरकार के चुनाव या केंद्रीय मुद्दों के आलोक में स्थानीय/राज्य सरकार का चुनाव ना करे
Central, State, municipal, etc. all should be held at the same time so that the respective government should only concentrate on the work not on the election to be held in any other state. Their should one rule that if any state or central government fall in between 5 year tenure then second election will be only for the remaining period of 5 year. It will give time to winning party to concentrate its energy on work only. It will also be helpful in curbing black money and anti social elements.
