Home | MyGov

Accessibility
Accessibility Tools
Color Adjustment
Text Size
Navigation Adjustment
Screen Reader iconScreen Reader

Discussion on Simultaneous Elections

Discussion on Simultaneous Elections
Start Date :
Sep 07, 2016
Last Date :
Oct 16, 2016
00:00 AM IST (GMT +5.30 Hrs)
Submission Closed

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 JUSTICE

MyGov 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.

Showing 4854 Submission(s)
Frank Soans
Frank Soans 8 years 5 months ago

Separate elections are flexible but expensive. The 2014 LS elections cost 34.26 billion rupees and it will only go up. Simultaneous may reduce cost but will have challenges when there is a mid term crisis at center or state and increase other costs. However, if we move to digital elections it will reduce cost, increase speed, a larger population participation and more secure and safe elections. India was 1st in EVMs its time to go Digital. Please refer to attachment for suggestion on how.

Brijendra K Syngal
Brijendra K Syngal 8 years 5 months ago

Criminals must be barred. In order to achieve the possibility of simultaneous election, extend some assemblies and dissolve some, extend those where remaining tenure is around one to two years and dissolve those where one to two years has been completed.
let the tenure remain 5 years. this must be implemented by 2019.

I would suggest that all assemblies must go to poll together, may be after a lapse/gap of a year two of lok sabha elections. but assemblies together, regards,syngal

Parvesh Mathur_1
Parvesh Mathur 8 years 5 months ago

In the general elections and state assembly elections in the state of haryana there is no big gaps between the elections, last time general election was held in during march-April and state assembly elections was held in during September-October with assembly model code of conduct.
There is around 4 months gap between general elections and assembly elections in haryana our govt should both elections combined and save elections experience on per voter and unnecessary use of our govt machinery

Brijendra K Syngal
Brijendra K Syngal 8 years 5 months ago

Sir my view is that elections to the assemblies and Lok sabha must be held simultaneously. They were held simultaneously, but after 1972, that tradition was broken. The reason is that such a step would reduce expenses, remove horse trading, save on holidays, increase productivity. there would be a calendar of events.

another middle ground could be to hold assembly elections after a year, but all states together. the country is in election mode every year, regards syngal

Ravivaran Kumar Garg
Ravivaran Kumar Garg 8 years 5 months ago

एक साथ चुनाव कराने में सबसे बडी दिक्कत सरकार का बीच मे गिर जाना है इसका एक समाधान यह है कि अगर
केन्द्र स्तर पर अगर कोई सरकार गिरती है तो फिर नया चुनाव होना चाहिए और जरूरत के हिसाब से नई सरकार का कार्याकाल तय करना चाहिए। जैसे अगर कोई सरकार 3.5 वर्ष से पहले गिरती है तो नई सरकार का कार्यकाल पुरानी सरकार जितना हो तथा 3.5 वर्ष बाद अगर कोई सरकार गिरती है तो नई सरकार का कार्यकाल अगले चुनावों तक बढाया जा सकता है। लेकिन 3.5 के बाद वाले हालत में सरकार गिरने की शर्त केवल गठबंधन सरकार पर लागू हो।

ndnd74@gmail.com
NISHIT DESAI 8 years 5 months ago

Comments in PDF file which not only includes brief on simultaneous polls but also when to conduct elections and when to declare results
Thanks,
Nishit Desai- 9930003400

Ravivaran Kumar Garg
Ravivaran Kumar Garg 8 years 5 months ago

एक साथ चुनाव कराने में सबसे बडी दिक्कत यह है कि अगर कोई सरकार बीच मे गिर जाए तो क्या किया जाए। इसका समाधान यह है कि -
2.5 वर्ष के बाद अगर कोई सरकार गिरती है तो ऐसी स्थिति में राज्यपाल को भी शासन का अधिकार देना चाहिए। ऐसे में गठबंधन सरकार से कोई भी सहयोगी दल, राजनितिक लाभ के लिए, सहयोग वापस नहीं ले पाऐगें। लेकिन अगर 2.5 से पहले कोई सरकार गिरती है तो फिर से चुनाव हों और नई सरकार का कार्यकाल पुरानी सरकार के बराबर हो।

Ravivaran Kumar Garg
Ravivaran Kumar Garg 8 years 5 months ago

1.अगर हमें एक साथ चुनाव कराना है हमें सरकार के कार्यकाल के समय को लचीला करना होगा यानी जरूरत पडने पर बढाना या घटाना और कानून में बदलाव करना पडेगा यानि राज्य सरकार गिरने पर राज्यपाल को शासन देना। राज्यपाल को शासन देने बस से हो सकता है सरकार गिरे ही नहीं..
2.चुनावो में पैसो की बरबादी रोकने के लिए राजनितिक प्रचार पर भी बैन होना चाहिए और rallies की जगह, नेताओं में राष्ट्रीय,आर्थिक और सामाजिक इत्यादि विषयों पर बहस(national TV channel पर)होनी चाहिए।इससे एक लाभ यह होगा कि लोग बहस के हिसाब से वोट देगे।

apkedar@gmail.com
ANUP KEDAR 8 years 5 months ago

RESPECTED PM SIR IT IS VERY PROUDFUL THING FOR US THAT WE HAVE SHARE SOME OF OUR THOGHTS WITH U ON DIFFERENT THING ABOUT OUR NATION FOR DEVELOPMENT. SIR FIRST I WILL SEE AS PRIMINISTER OF INDIA AT NEXT TERM FROM 2019-2024. I WISH GOD THAT MY WISH WILL COMPLETE IN NEXT ELELCTION. SIR UR FOCUS ON SIMULTANEOUS ELECTION IS VERY GREAT IT HELPS ALL INDIANS TO TAKE ONE DECISION

tips | Keyboard