Do We Need Simultaneous Election? Law Commission To Examine

Table of Contents

Question

Frequent elections lead to ‘disruption’ of normal public life and impact the functioning of essential services. In light of the above statement, critically analyze the feasibility of Simultaneous parliamentary & state legislative elections in India.

Recently, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju informed the Lok Sabha that The issue of holding simultaneous Parliamentary and Assembly elections has been referred to the Law Commission of India for a practicable roadmap and a framework be worked out.
In a “written reply”, the minister also cited a report of a Parliamentary panel which noted that frequent elections lead to “disruption” of normal public life and impact the functioning of essential services.

Simultaneous elections basically means holding elections to Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies simultaneously, once in five year.
The idea of holding elections simultaneously is ardently supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Currently, elections to the state assemblies and the Lok Sabha are held separately ie: whenever the incumbent government’s five-year term ends or whenever it is dissolved due to various reasons.

2019 – General elections & Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim elections
2019 – Oct – Nov – Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand elections
2020 – Delhi & Bihar Election
2021 – Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu elections
2022 – Goa, Manipur, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, HP, Gujarat, J&K elections
2023 – Telangana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, MP, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya

Earlier Law Commission of India recommended simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State Legislative. 21st Law Commission had said it was convinced that “there exists a viable environment, necessitating the holding of simultaneous elections to the House of the People and the State Legislatures.”
Election Commission of India has also extended its in-principle support for the simultaneous elections & so has NITI aayog.
79th report of the parliamentary standing committee on Law and Justice recommended a two phase election schedule
- One concurrent with Lok Sabha elections
- Second in the mid-term of the Lok Sabha