Simultaneous elections

Context:

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved a proposal for simultaneous elections across the country.

Relevance:
GS-02 (Indian Polity)

History of elections in India:

  • The first general election, which was held in 1951, was conducted simultaneously for the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of the States, which continued for the next three cycles in the years 1957, 1962, and 1967.
  • The cycle was disrupted because of the premature dissolution of some legislative assemblies in 1968 and 1969.
  • The last simultaneous election was held in 1967.
  • Currently, we have two rounds of Assembly general elections every year.

The Idea of Simultaneous Elections:

  • Simultaneous elections are about holding Lok Sabha (national parliament) and state assembly elections together.
  • It also envisions conducting municipal and panchayat elections within 100 days of the general elections.
  • The government argues that this approach will:
    • Would reduce the financial burden on the government.
    • Improve governance—because without constant elections, political leaders would focus more on governance rather than being in continuous campaign mode.
  • However, in order to make this running, constitutional amendments are to be made, which involve major legislative changes in Parliament and also across various State Assemblies.

Advantages of Simultaneous Elections

  • Reduced Costs: Lowers election expenses for the Election Commission and political parties; minimises diversion of government employees and resources for election duties.
  • Minimised Disruption: Reduces interruptions caused by the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) on governance.
  • Less Populism: Limits opportunities for political parties to make populist promises during frequent elections.
  • National Perspective: Encourages focus on national issues over regional concerns, fostering unity.
  • Strengthens National Parties: Reduces the rise of regional parties based on narrow vote-bank politics.
  • Federalism Boost: Prevents misuse of Article 356 (President’s Rule) by ensuring stable state governments, aligning them with the Centre’s election cycle.
  • Governance Stability: Provides governments a fixed tenure of five years, enabling long-term policy decisions.

Arguments Against Simultaneous Elections

  • Political Spending: While election costs for the Election Commission may reduce, political parties may still spend heavily in one go.
  • Federalism Concerns: Could reduce the importance of state elections and weaken state sovereignty.
  • Constitutional Challenges: Articles 83(2) and 172 allow for early dissolution of legislatures, which simultaneous elections may overlook.
  • No-Confidence Motion: Fixed tenures negate the use of no-confidence motions, a key legislative control tool.
  • Democratic Rights: Limits voters’ ability to frequently express their opinions on governance.
  • Local Issues Neglected: Overshadowing of state-specific and local issues by national agendas.
  • Logistical Challenges: Deployment of security forces in large numbers for simultaneous elections is difficult given current resources.

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