{"id":60059,"date":"2025-11-28T19:07:03","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T13:37:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=60059"},"modified":"2025-11-29T12:09:48","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T06:39:48","slug":"simultaneous-polls-proposal-law-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/28-11-2025\/simultaneous-polls-proposal-law-ministry","title":{"rendered":"Law Ministry Defends its Simultaneous Polls Proposal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: G2\/Polity and Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Union Law Ministry<\/strong> said that the proposed framework on <strong>simultaneous elections<\/strong> does not violate the Constitution\u2019s basic structure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment), known as the<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/16-09-2024\/one-nation-one-election-3\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/16-09-2024\/one-nation-one-election-3\">One Nation One Election<\/a><\/strong> Bills were introduced by the<strong> Law Minister in 2024.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Bills provide for <strong>synchronising the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections<\/strong> by <strong>curtailing the terms of state assemblies <\/strong>that are elected after a particular Lok Sabha to end with the term of that Lok Sabha.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Once the terms of the legislatures align,<\/strong> the next general election will be held simultaneously.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The bills were<strong> referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee<\/strong> to ensure that the Bills <strong>do not disturb the basic structure of the Constitution<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The JPC will be meeting representatives from the 23rd Law Commission and the Election Commission <strong>on December 4.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>View of the Union Law Ministry<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Five Year Tenure: <\/strong>Articles 83(2) and 172(1) of the Constitution explicitly provide that the term of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies shall be five years \u201cunless sooner dissolved.\u201d\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Ministry argued this was deliberately incorporated by the framers to allow for premature dissolution under certain circumstances.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Basic Structure Doctrine: <\/strong>The basic structure doctrine demands that certain fundamental features of the Constitution \u2014 such as separation of powers between the organs of the State are a part of the basic structure of the constitution and cannot be amended.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Bills do not erode the principle of separation of powers or federalism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Impact only Duration: <\/strong>The Bills affect the duration or frequency of voting and not the right to vote, which does not violate the basic structure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Simultaneous elections do not affect the accountability<\/strong> of the government, as Parliamentary democracy ensures that each government remains accountable until the last day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are Simultaneous Elections?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Simultaneous Elections<\/strong> (One Nation One Election) refer to the idea of holding Lok Sabha and State legislative assembly elections<strong> together<\/strong>, with the aim of <strong>reducing the frequency of elections and their associated costs.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Simultaneous elections in India to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies were held in the years <strong>1951-52, 1957, 1962 and 1967.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thereafter, the schedule could not be maintained and the elections to the Lok Sabha and the State legislative assembly have still not been realigned.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Arguments In Favour of One Nation One Election<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reduced Expenditure:<\/strong> It will <strong>reduce the huge expenditure<\/strong> incurred for conducting separate elections every year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Streamlined Process: <\/strong>Managing one election cycle is logistically simpler than conducting multiple elections at different times. This can lead to more efficient use of administrative resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reduced Model Code of Conduct (MCC) Disruptions:<\/strong> Frequent elections result in prolonged enforcement of MCC, which restricts: new policy announcements, budgetary decisions, welfare schemes &amp; administrative initiatives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Direct Accountability:<\/strong> With simultaneous elections, voters can hold parties accountable for both central and state governance at the same time, making it clearer how local and national policies impact their lives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthens Cooperative Federalism: <\/strong>A harmonised electoral calendar encourages coordination between the Union and States, ensuring policy stability and reducing political friction from perpetual campaign cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Arguments Against One Nation One Election<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Logistical Challenges:<\/strong> All states and the central government face massive <strong>logistical challenges<\/strong> including coordinating the schedules, resources etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Local Priorities:<\/strong> It may <strong>help the dominant national party<\/strong> at the cost of regional parties and regions issues can be overshadowed by the national issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Complex Reforms Needed:<\/strong> Implementing simultaneous elections would require significant constitutional amendments and changes to existing electoral laws, posing legal complexities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Federalism &amp; State Autonomy: <\/strong>Synchronising terms effectively curtails or extends the tenure of State Assemblies, which undermines the constitutional autonomy of states.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Synchronized polls for all 3 tiers of government <strong>will improve governance architecture<\/strong>. It will enhance <strong>\u201ctransparency, inclusivity, ease and confidence of voters.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The law commission is <strong>likely to recommend holding simultaneous polls<\/strong> for all three tiers of the government \u2013 the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats \u2013 starting 2029.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/union-law-ministry-defends-simultaneous-polls-proposal-says-curtailing-tenure-not-against-basic-structure-of-constitution\/article70330978.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Context<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The Union Law Ministry said that the proposed framework on simultaneous elections does not violate the Constitution\u2019s basic structure.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment), known as the One Nation One Election Bills were introduced by the Law Minister in 2024.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The Bills provide for synchronising the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections by curtailing the terms of state assemblies that are elected after a particular Lok Sabha to end with the term of that Lok Sabha.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Once the terms of the legislatures align, the next general election will be held simultaneously.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The bills were referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee to ensure that the Bills do not disturb the basic structure of the Constitution.<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/28-11-2025\/simultaneous-polls-proposal-law-ministry\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60059","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60059"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60059\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60124,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60059\/revisions\/60124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}