Centre to set up panel on simultaneous polls

After the deliberations with political parties, of which there were notable absentees such as the Congress, the DMK, the Trinamool Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Centre on Wednesday decided to constitute a panel to take forward the plan to synchronise Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Briefing journalists after the all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the idea for a ‘one nation,one election’ has widespread support. In the meeting, the Defence Minister said the PM told other parties that this is “not an agenda of the government, it is an agenda of the nation”. Singh said it has been decided to constitute a committee to hold further deliberations. He, however, did not specify whether it would be an all-party committee.

“As the PM said, this is an agenda of the nation. Naturally, we will take all parties together. We respect differences of opinion in this regard and all opinions will be given due consideration,” he said. The government had invited 40 political parties, of which 21 attended and three others sent in their written submissions.

Support from parties

The ruling BJP has received support from key opposition parties such as the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), whose top leader and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik attended the PM’s meeting. Speaking to reporters later, Patnatik said he supports the idea of ‘one nation, one election’. He also had a suggestion for the PM on another item on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting — 150 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

“I have suggested that Ahimsa (non-violence)’ should be made a part of the Preamble to the Constitution,” said Patnaik. The YSRCP, whose leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy attended the meeting, also supported the move. His rival in the State and predecessor N Chandrababu Naidu is opposed to simultaneous elections.

The Left parties submitted a detailed statement opposing simultaneous elections. Asserting that the idea is inherently undemocratic and antithetical to the spirit of federalism, the CPI(M) said, “Under the Constitution, if a government loses the confidence of the legislature either by being voted out on a no-confidence motion, or, losing a vote on a Money Bill, it is bound to resign. If no alternative government can be formed, the House is dissolved and a mid-term election is held.”

‘Fixed tenure’

There is no fixity of tenure enshrined in the Constitution either for the Lok Sabha, or, for the State legislatures. Article 83 (2) and Article 172 (1) specify that the term of the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assembly will be for five years “unless sooner dissolved”. Any attempt to prolong the life of the Lok Sabha or the legislature will not only be unconstitutional but also anti-democratic.

It is the will of the people through their elected representatives that must prevail,” it said. In their different submissions on the issue, the main objections raised by the Congress, the CPI(M), the TMC and others are that for holding simultaneous elections, the tenure of the State Assemblies has to be either curtailed or prolonged to synchronise with the Lok Sabha elections.

For the purpose, either the States will witness prolonged period of President’s Rule or necessary Constitutional amendments, especially in Articles 83 and Articles 172 — dealing with the tenure of the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies, respectively — as also Article 356 pertaining to imposition of the President’s rule.

The government does not have the two-thirds majority it requires either in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha to push these amendments.

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