GS2 (Polity and governance)
While simultaneous elections for Centre and state are necessary to overcome the “policy paralysis and governance deficit, there are practical problems in its implementation. Discuss.
Best answer
Kunal Agarwal wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)
Simultaneous elections for Centre and state have been proposed by various people including the Prime Minister.
Problems with frequent elections:
– New policies can no the announced
– Huge expenditure to the government exchequer
– Ministers busy in promotion and election work
Frequent elections do have some benefits for people:
– It generates employment for party workers and other government employees
– Keeps politicians on their toes to work for people
– Provides clear demarcation in state level and central level issues for people
Simultaneous election will help in solving out these problems and improve governance. However, it has following practical issues:
– Current tenures of government will have to be extended or curbed
– Government can be dissolved due to lack of confidence which will lead to discontinuity in the practice over long term
– People tend to vote for same party ay both state and central elections which will impede on the principles of federalism
– Election commission may also face human resources issues and problems inc conducting elections
Elections were held simultaneous for the first few terms after independence and the break from trend could not stopped. It would be practical difficult and may need consensus among parties and constitutional amendments to ensure this over long term.
