Yesterday while addressing the Parliament in the budget session, President impressed upon parliament members the importance of holding Assembly and General Election simultaneously. He emphasised that the healthy debate should be welcome on this subject among the parliamentarians cutting across the party lines. In the last few months even PM Narendra Modi had also spoken on this topic multiple number of times. I would like to add my personal view on this matter:
- Old timers would remember that in the 50s and 60s the Loksabha and State assemblies election were always held together.
- It was only in the 70s that it happened that the elections of both the assembly and Loksabha were staggered, the main reason being that due to defections started happening in state assemblies and some times assemblies were dissolved before their tenure was over and fresh elections were called.
- Due to the first break up of Congress in 1969/70 after the Presidential Elections of 1969 when Indira Gandhi group in Congress backed VV Giri for President of India against Congress Party official nominee N Sanjiva Reddy and Giri won the election and Congress broke into 2 factions Congress (Ruling) of Indira Gandhi group and Congress (Organisation). After this happened Indira Gandhi to prove she has hold on Congressmen and had a backing of countrymen called for early elections for Loksabha in 1971, one year before the expiry of the term of Loksabha. Hence Loksabha and assembly elections could not be held simultaneously.
- When after the lifting of emergency, the next Loksabha elections were held in 1977, after which Janata Party came to power at centre and Morarji Desai became PM. The Janata govt after few months of coming to power dissolve all the state assemblies where Congress was ruling saying that with the present mandate Congress has lost the mandate to govern the states even. And similar thing happened in 1980 when Congress came back to power at centre and they also dissolved the assemblies and asked for fresh mandate.
- After 1980 the elections for state assemblies were always taking place separately because it was not certain about the tenure of Loksabha in the country.
- It has happened after 3 decade that one political party of its own got majority in Loksabha and PM Narendra Modi mooted this idea to hold the elections simultaneously.
- In a recent news to a TV News Channel PM spoke candidly on this topic. He stated that holding so many state elections every year is costing heavily to the exchequer because of many reasons like- heavy security involved, loss of man hours due to govt personnel deputed on election duty, PM, CMs, Ministers and other MPs and MLAs of ruling party getting busy in elections campaigning by which the govt work is bound to suffer. He further stated that all the elections should be over in 2/3 months every five years, Loksabha and assembly elections to held simultaneously and local Municipal Elections after one month of that. All the bickering which happens during elections between political parties will be over in three months and after that for next 4 years 9 months Ruling and opposition parties should spend concrete time to solve the problems of citizens at all levels.
- I, personally feel that what ever PM has said is worth considering and all the political parties should give a serious thought on this issue.
- But with most of the political leaders and parties being self centred, and they least care about the welfare of citizens, will the leaders from these parties support such a fantastic idea. As these leaders are so self centred that any thing proposed by PM Modi is not accepted to them , they are least bothered even if the thing is good for citizens and for the over all development of the country.
My friends, what you think on this issue. Please let me have your view/ comments/feed backs.