Question : Simultaneous Elections to Lok Sabha and State Legislatures

(a) whether the Government has taken any decision on the recommendations of holding of simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies in the country; (b) if so, the details and the present status thereof;
(c) the salient features of the recommendations received by the Government on the issue;
d) whether the Government has conducted any feasibility study on the issue and if so, the outcome thereof; and
(e) the details of political parties which are in favour and those which are against the proposal?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI P. P. CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (e): The matter regarding conduct of simultaneous election for Lok Sabha and State Assemblies was examined by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice. The Committee in its 79th Report has given certain recommendations which are under examination of the Government.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee has, inter-alia, made the following recommendations:-

(i) Holding simultaneous elections in two phases with elections of some Assemblies at midterm of Lok sabha and the remaining with end of the tenure of Lok Sabha.
(ii) Bye-elections to all seats falling vacant in a particular year may be conducted together on a pre-determined date/time frame.
(iii) The report of the Committee has sought to open up debate on this important issue and to try and establish national consensus to avoid frequent elections.

The Committee has stated in the Report that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Asom Gan Parishad (AGP), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have supported the proposal for holding the elections simultaneously for Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. However, the Indian National Congress (INC), All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), Communist Party of India (CPI), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have not supported this proposal.

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