Context:
Union Cabinet approves bills on Simultaneous Polls.
Simultaneous Polls in India:
- Refer to holding elections to the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and local bodies (Municipalities and Panchayats) together.
- Objective – To reduce the frequency of elections and the associated costs, and to ensure better governance by minimizing the disruption caused by frequent imposition of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
- Previously, a high-level committee, headed by former President Shri Ram Nath Kovind, recommended a roadmap for holding simultaneous polls
History of Simultaneous Polls in India:
- Initial Phase (1951-1967) – Simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies were conducted every 5 years from 1951 to 1967.
- Voters cast their votes for both the Centre and the states simultaneously in 1952, 1957, 1962, and 1967.
- Disruption (1968-1969) – The cycle of simultaneous elections was disrupted due to the premature dissolution of some Legislative Assemblies in 1968 and 1969.
- Dissolution of Lok Sabha in 1970 – Further, the premature dissolution of Lok Sabha in 1970 and advancing the general elections to 1971, decoupled the parliamentary elections from the state assembly elections, which had been held simultaneously since 1951.
Recommendations of the Kovind Committee:
- Phased Implementation – Hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies in the first phase. Synchronize elections to municipalities and panchayats with the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies within 100 days of the parliamentary and Assembly elections.
- Appointed Date –
- The President shall notify the date of the 1st sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election as the “appointed date”.
- The tenure of all State Assemblies formed via polls after the “appointed date” and before the expiry of the full term of the Lok Sabha will only be for the period ending up to the subsequent parliamentary polls.
- Fresh Elections – Fresh elections could be held to constitute a new Lok Sabha in the event of a hung House or a no-confidence motion. The tenure of the House will be only for the unexpired term of the immediately preceding full term of the House.
- Single Electoral Roll – A single electoral roll and elector’s photo identity card (EPIC) shall be prepared by the Election Commission in consultation with the state election commissions.
- Logistical Arrangements – The Election Commission may draw up a plan and estimate in advance for the procurement of equipment, such as EVMs and VVPATs, deployment of polling personnel, and security forces
Read more about One Nation One Election
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
For election to the Lok Sabha, a nomination paper can be filed by
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2017 Prelims]
(a) anyone residing in India.
(b) a resident of the constituency from which the election is to be contested.
(c) any citizen of India whose name appears in the electoral roll of a constituency.
(d) any citizen of India
Answer: (c)