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.
The state and Central elections should be held at the same time. The tenure of the state assembly should be fixed till the next general elections.
If the assembly is hung or is dissolved before the next election and it is more than 2.5 yrs away from the next general election, a state specific election can be conducted with reduced tenure.
The municipal corporation elections in a state should be all held as once - but may not be in sync with general elections
Please include a mandatory clause that every election representative should have served the nation at any capacity in military system or social service system for minimum 18 months. I do agree that it is near to impossible. But this is a very basic requirement to enforce lot of discipline and will help curb corruption in the long run.
Yes, it would be prudent and desirable to have simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. India cannot afford expenditure on multiple elections, besides leading to administrative paralysis due to election code of conduct.
Besides, elections for rajya sabha should also be held simultaneously ie within six months of constitution of these state assemblies, so that complexion of rajya sabha is contemporaneous. Rajya sabha term should also be for 5 yrs instead of six as at present. This will avoid will of people being subverted by competitive politics as was witnessed for passage of GST bill that took almost a decade to pass.
I think it is a sound idea to hold simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State assemblies once every five years. These houses/assys should have a fixed tenure of five years. However, ways will have to be devised to check horses trading in assys of smaller size especially where the mandate is fractured or parties have near equal strength. Frequent efforts to topple govts by competitive political parties will become order of the day. A way out can be to ban defection altogether.
yes, i strongly support for holding of simultaneously election of lok sabha and vidhan sabhas , it will save huge amount of money and un-necessary movements govt. machinery and man power
Respected Hon. Prime Minister Sir,
with current attack at Uri brings difficult time for india in deciding options. I was studing carefully the options & few logical may be-
1- We need to boycott SAARC and can create new entity with minus terrorist states.
2- Give asylum to all Baluch friends
3- Triangle of Afghan/Bangladesh & Baluch to cover & isolate terrorist states
4- Stop all illegal road making that connects to Baluchistan & China.
regards,
Dear Sir, Good Morning
Only one participant should be from one family. Nothing should be free for MP/MLA. MP/MLA should be treated as Service Person and no side business should be allowed.
He/she should be qualified in that area and should not have criminal background.
Good Morning. For Developement of India Fastly, Election Should be in one stretch.... Yesterday Russia also done the Same.............Political Leaders will concentrate only his Works and Envelopment Schemes. Sir, Please consider all Political Parties from State and central. Within 1 Year their period is closing, that case to be Extend the period upto Parliment Election.
