NEW DELHI: This question, along with some other queries related to the issue, have been posted by the government on its website MyGov.Com to seek the views of "all interested people", including common citizens, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, constitutional experts, academics experts, bureaucrats and social media influencers.
The last date for submitting the views is October 15.
The development comes against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi floating the idea, which was subsequently articulated by President Pranab Mukherjee.
The questions asked are:
Is it desirable to hold simultaneous elections? What are the pros and cons?
If simultaneous elections are held, then for the first time what happens to assemblies whose scheduled tenure either ends before or after the proposed date of holding elections?
Should the term of Lok Sabha and assemblies be fixed?
What would happen in case by-elections are necessitated in between terms?
What happens in case the ruling party or coalition loses majority in between term, either in Lok Sabha or in State assemblies?
"The desirability of holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas has been discussed at various levels. A considered view is that simultaneous elections will not only keep alive the enthusiasm of voters, but will also result in huge savings to the public exchequer as well as avoiding repetition of administrative effort," said a note explaining the reasons for such queries.
"It is also expected to control the expenses of political parties. Simultaneous elections will also avoid repeated enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct which affects administrative actions by the government," it added.
The noted pointed out that several structural changes will need to be done in case a decision is made to conduct simultaneous election, including possibility of Constitutional amendments to Articles 83, 172, 85 and 174 to streamline the process.
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Referring to the President's articulation of desirability of holding simultaneous elections, the note cited his recent remarks: "With some election or the other throughout the year, normal activities of the government come to a standstill because of code of conduct. This is an idea the political leadership should think of.
"If political parties collectively think, we can change it.... The Election Commission can also put in their idea and efforts on holding the polls together and that will be highly beneficial."
The note also pointed out that the Prime Minister had spoken several times on considering the feasibility of holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.
In India, simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas (State Legislative Assemblies) were organized in the years 1951-52, 1957, 1962 and 1967.
Thereafter, however, the schedule could not be maintained and the elections to the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabhas have still not been realigned.
The next General Election to the Lok Sabha is scheduled for 2019. Elections for the Vidhan Sabhas of 5 states are scheduled for 2017, for 13 states in 2018, for 9 states in 2019, for 1 state 2020 and the remaining are scheduled for 2021.
The issue of simultaneous elections was debated by the Law Commission in its 107thReport in 1999 (Reform of Electoral Laws), where in it was mentioned that - "The rule ought to be one election once in five years for Lok Sabha and all Legislative Assemblies".
Recently, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice presented its 79th Report on 'Feasibility of holding Simultaneous Elections to the House of People (Lok Sabha) and State Legislative Assemblies' on 17th December 2015.
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