Electoral Reforms In India

 Many questions about ‘one nation, one election’   

Explained | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Federalism
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Mains level: Pros and cons related to simultaneous election;

Why in the News?

In an Independence Day speech, the Prime Minister renewed his push for simultaneous elections, targeting implementation by the 2029 polls.

Pros and Cons of Simultaneous Elections in India:

Pros

Cons
  1. Cost Reduction: It can decrease the deployment of resources such as EVMs, security personnel, and election management teams to only one time in 5 years.
  2. Continuity in Governance: Simultaneous elections can prevent the frequent imposition of the Model Code of Conduct, which disrupts government development activities and decision-making processes.
  3. Reduced Election Fatigue: Voters, political parties, and the administration could benefit from reduced election fatigue, allowing them to focus more on governance and development.
  4. Uniformity in Policy Implementation: Central and state governments can work in sync on policy implementation without the hindrance of upcoming elections in various states.
  1. Constitutional Challenges: The implementation of simultaneous elections would require significant amendments to the Constitution, particularly Articles 83, 85, 172, and 174, which deal with the duration of legislative bodies.
  2. Federalism Concerns: Opponents argue that simultaneous elections could undermine the federal structure of India, marginalizing regional parties and giving dominance to national parties.
  3. Voter Disengagement: The synchronization of elections might lead to voter disengagement due to the overwhelming nature of combined elections, where national issues may overshadow regional ones.

Key Recommendations of High-Level Committee

The High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, has made several significant recommendations aimed at synchronizing elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies in India.

  1. Amendment to Article 82A: Allow the President to set an ‘Appointed Date’ for starting simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies
  2. Term Synchronization: States with elections between June 2024 and May 2029 would have their terms end with the 18th Lok Sabha, enabling the first simultaneous elections in 2029
  3. Premature Dissolution Measures: Fresh elections only for the remaining term until the next simultaneous elections in case of early dissolution of Parliament or state Assembly
  4. Synchronization of Local Body Elections: Parliament to pass legislation to align municipalities and panchayats elections with General Elections within 100 days
  5. Single Electoral Roll: The committee advocates for a single electoral roll applicable to all tiers of government, which would require an amendment to Article 325. This aims to reduce redundancy and duplication in voter registration.
  6. Logistical Arrangements: ECI to provide detailed logistical and expenditure plans for simultaneous elections in coordination with SECs.

Way forward: 

  • Constitutional and Legal Reforms: Begin with phased constitutional amendments and legal reforms to address the challenges of synchronization while ensuring that the federal structure and democratic principles are preserved.
  • Pilot Implementation: Consider piloting simultaneous elections in a few states with synchronized local body elections to assess feasibility, logistical challenges, and public response before scaling up to the national level by 2029.

Mains question for practice:

Q Discuss the feasibility and implications of implementing simultaneous elections in India by 2029, as recently proposed by the Prime Minister. 15M 

Mains PYQs

‘Simultaneous election to the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies will limit the amount of time and money spent in electioneering but it will reduce the government’s accountability to the people’ Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2017)

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