Simultaneous Polls Not Undemocratic: Law Ministry To Joint Panel

Holding simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies is not undemocratic and does not hurt the federal structure, the Union law ministry is learnt to have told the joint committee of Parliament examining the bills on 'one nation, one election'.

Responding to a set of queries posed by the members of the joint panel, the legislative department in the Union law ministry is learnt to have asserted that simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies were held in the past before the cycle was broken due to various reasons, including imposition of President's rule in some states.

Sources said while the ministry answered some of the questions, some others were sent to the Election Commission for a calibrated response.

The joint committee is holding its next meeting on Tuesday.

Following the adoption of the Constitution, elections to the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies were conducted simultaneously from 1951 to 1967, it noted.

The first general elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies were held together in 1951-52, a practice that continued for three subsequent general elections in 1957, 1962, and 1967.

However, this cycle of synchronised elections was disrupted in 1968 and 1969 due to the premature dissolution of some state legislative assemblies.

The fourth Lok Sabha was also dissolved prematurely in 1970, with fresh elections held in 1971. Unlike the first, second, and third Lok Sabha, which completed their full five-year terms, the fifth Lok Sabha's term was extended until 1977 under Article 352 because of the declaration of Emergency.

Since then, only a few Lok Sabha terms have lasted the full five years, such as the eighth, 10th, 14th and 15th. Others, including the sixth, seventh, ninth, 11th, 12th and 13th were dissolved early, a government explainer on 'one nation, one election' had earlier said.

State assemblies have faced similar disruptions over the years. Premature dissolutions and term extensions have become a "recurring challenge", the government had said.

"These developments have firmly disrupted the cycle of simultaneous elections, leading to the current pattern of staggered electoral schedules across the country," it observed.

Citing a report of the high-level committee on 'one nation, one election', the explainer said simultaneous polls promote consistency in governance.

"Due to the ongoing cycle of elections in various parts of the country, political parties, their leaders, legislators, and both state and central governments often focus their efforts on preparing for upcoming elections rather than prioritising governance," it said, citing the 'rationale' for holding simultaneous polls as recommended by the panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind.

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