Simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies have been proposed as a measure to streamline the electoral process, aiming to curb the extensive time and financial resources expended in frequent election cycles. Proponents argue that consolidating polls will not only enhance administrative efficiency but also reduce the burden on taxpayers and political parties. However, this strategy may inadvertently diminish the government’s accountability to the people. The simultaneous nature of these elections might blur the distinct issues concerning national and state governance, potentially diluting the focus on regional concerns. Moreover, elongated terms between elections might lessen the urgency for elected representatives to address the immediate concerns of their constituents, potentially leading to reduced responsiveness. Striking a balance between efficiency and accountability is crucial in evaluating the implications of simultaneous elections on India’s democratic fabric.
Tag: Governance.
Decoding the Question:
- In the Introduction, briefly write the background and meaning of simultaneous election.
- In Body,
- Discuss how it will limit the amount of time and money spent in elections.
- Also, write how it will reduce the government’s accountability to the people.
- Conclude with, mentioning the feasibility of simultaneous elections and suggest a way forward.
Answer:
Recently the debate over simultaneous holding of the election to Parliament and State legislature has been revived. The term “Simultaneous Elections” is defined as structuring the Indian election cycle in a manner that elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies are synchronized together i. e., on a single day and at the same time. The elections were held simultaneously between the years 1951 till 1967. The Election Commission has also supported the idea of holding simultaneous elections.
From the above graph, we can see that the election expenditure has grown multifold since the simultaneous election system was discontinued.
Benefits of simultaneous election:
- The 79th Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Committee has justified the simultaneous conduct of polls on several grounds, including a huge cut in expenditure incurred for the conduct of separate elections every year.
- Frequent elections lead to the imposition of a Model Code of Conduct (MCC) over prolonged periods and put on hold the entire development program and activities of the Union and State Governments in the poll-bound State.
- The huge political rallies and campaigns disrupting the road traffic affect the delivery of essential services.
- According to the Law Commission, it will also boost voter turnout.
- Simultaneous elections would also reduce pressure on manpower and resource deployment necessary for the conduct of elections.
How it will reduce the Government’s accountability:
- It may affect the judgments of voters over different national and state issues. Clubbing can mix national narratives with regional issues.
- The election will be conducted only once in every 5 years, which affects the answerability of the government towards the people. The repeated elections ensure the accountability of the government effectively.
- It may also increase the frequency of imposition of President’s Rule in the states, to synchronize elections.
- It may also cut the tenure of some State Legislatures, to synchronize it with Lok Sabha polls. The crisis may also arise if the central government falls.
- It may also create dominance of National parties & issues and put Regional parties & issues in a disadvantageous position.
- There can be infrastructural challenges in the form of stocking of EVMs and VVPATs in large quantities.
Therefore, while the idea of simultaneous elections does hold merit, due consideration should be given to both its benedicts and demerits before a decision is taken.
The Indian elections are not only the largest exercise in logistics in the world but are also considered as one of the most credible elections. Simultaneous elections would clearly open possibilities of resource optimization and simplification of process, with the implementation of recommendations of Election Commission the challenges can be overcome. Simultaneous elections are desirable provided they are juxtaposed with certain reforms that would require a prior political consensus to bring a constitutional amendment to curtail or raise terms of some states to enable EC to synchronize poll schedules, raise necessary resources of EC such as EVMs, personnel, etc.
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