Simultaneous elections win-win for all: Govt lists out imperatives

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 17

The government today informed Parliament that it favoured holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, as it would result in huge savings to the public exchequer. At the same time, it listed out “imperatives” such as amending the Constitution and bringing all political parties on board before carrying out the mammoth exercise.

Raw report on judges only in special cases

It is not a practice to seek RAW reports on proposals for appointment of HC and SC judges except in extraordinary circumstances, involving issues related to national security. Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister

Replying to a written question, Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju said a parliamentary panel had examined the issue of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies in consultation with various stakeholders, including the Election Commission. The committee made certain recommendations, he said.

“The matter now stands referred to the Law Commission for further examination to work out a practicable road map and framework for simultaneous elections,” the minister said.

Such an exercise, Rijiju noted, would result in huge savings to the exchequer and avoid replication of effort on part of the administrative and law and order machinery in holding repeated elections. It would also ensure considerable savings to political parties and candidates in their election campaigns.

“Asynchronous Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections (including byelections) result in prolonged enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct with its concomitant adverse impact on development and welfare programmes,” Rijiju said, listing out “major impediments and imperatives” for synchronisation of the elections.

He said the change would require amendments in “not less than five” Articles of the Constitution.

Before the proposal was implemented, it would also require obtaining consensus of all political parties, he added. “Having regard to the federal structure of our system of governance, it is imperative that consensus of all state governments is obtained,” Rijiju said.

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