The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024, by the union law minister, Arjun Ram Meghwal. The bill seeks to empower the Election Commission (EC) to conduct elections for the Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies simultaneously. Its primary objective is to synchronise elections and reduce the frequency of electoral disruptions. Additionally, it calls for more efficient election management and outlines a specific procedure for dealing with non-confidence motions or hung assemblies. On December 19, 2024, it was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee for consultation with legal and constitutional experts and to determine the procedure and modalities for its assessment and examination.
Actually, the recommendation for the bill was made by a high-level committee chaired by former president, Ram Nath Kovind.
Findings of the High-Level Committee
The high-level committee, chaired by Ram Nath Kovind, was formed on September 2, 2023, to examine the issue of simultaneous elections and provide recommendations for their implementation in the country. After thorough deliberation, review of available material and consultations, the committee submitted its recommendations to the president on March 14, 2024, which were accepted by the government.
The committee received over 21,500 responses nationwide with 80 per cent supporting simultaneous elections. Of the 47 political parties that shared their views, 32 favoured the idea, citing better resource use and social harmony, while 15 raised concerns over democratic representation and regional autonomy.
The committee recommended a phased implementation—first aligning the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, followed by local body polls within 100 days. The committee also advocated for a single electoral roll and a single Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) for all three governance levels to safeguard voter rights and reduce administrative errors.
In addition to this bill, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill was also introduced on the same date. This bill seeks to bring union territories under the framework of simultaneous elections. It proposes amendments to the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963; the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
Statement of Objects and Reasons
In its 170th report on ‘Reform of the Electoral Laws’, the Law Commission of India recommended that holding separate elections for state legislative assemblies should be the exception, with the general practice being to conduct elections for the House of the People and all state legislative assemblies together, every five years. Additionally, the Departmentally related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice, in its 79th report, examined the feasibility of simultaneous elections and suggested that practical methods for conducting them be developed, expressing confidence that a solution would be found to reduce the frequency of electoral processes.
There is a pressing need to hold simultaneous elections for several reasons, especially considering the increasing costs and time demands of elections. The enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct in election-bound areas halts development programmes, disrupts normal public life, affects the functioning of services and requires extensive deployment of manpower away from their core activities for extended periods to manage election duties.
Proposed Amendments
1. The bill proposes the insertion of a new Article 82A, which would focus on simultaneous elections to the House of the People and all legislative assemblies. It would be inserted after the President issues a notification on the date of the first sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election. The bill further includes amendments to Article 83 (Duration of the Houses of Parliament), Article 172 (Duration of State Legislatures), and Article 327 (Power of Parliament to Make Provisions regarding Elections to Legislatures).
After the appointed date, the term of all legislative assemblies formed through a general election would end with the full term of the House of the People. The EC is mandated to conduct these elections simultaneously, applying the necessary provisions with modifications. If the EC determines that elections for a legislative assembly could not be held simultaneously, it could recommend a later date to the president. In cases where elections are deferred, the term of that legislative assembly would still end with the House of the People’s term. The EC would also announce the end date of a legislative assembly’s term when notifying elections.
2. Article 83 of the Constitution is amended to define terms related to the House of the People’s term. It introduces that the five-year period from the first meeting of the House of the People is its ‘full term’. If the House of the People is dissolved before the full-term ends, the period between dissolution and five years from the first meeting is called the ‘unexpired term’. In such cases, the new House of the People, formed after a dissolution, would last for the unexpired term of the previous term of the previous House of the People, unless it is dissolved sooner. The new House is not considered a continuation of the previous one, and all consequences of dissolution would apply. Elections held to constitute the House for its unexpired term would be called ‘mid-term elections’, while elections after the full term would be general elections.
3. Article 172 of the Constitution is amended to the state legislative assembly’s term. It introduces the concept of the ‘full term’ of the state legislative assembly as the five-year period from the first meeting of the assembly. If the assembly is dissolved before the full-term ends, the period between dissolution and five years from the first meeting is called the ‘unexpired term’. If a new state legislative assembly is formed due to a dissolution, it would continue for the unexpired term of the previous assembly, unless dissolved sooner. The new assembly is not considered a continuation of the previous one, and all dissolution consequences would apply.
4. Article 327 of the Constitution would be amended by adding the phrase, ‘conduct of simultaneous elections’ after the words ‘delimitation of constituencies’.
The proposed bill outlines that upon its enactment, the president would issue a notification on the date of the first sitting of the House of the People after general election, which would be referred to as the ‘appointed date’. The tenure of the House of the People would be five years from this appointed date. For all legislative assemblies formed after the appointed date but before the full term of the House of the People ends, their tenure would conclude at the same time as the House of the People and all legislative assemblies would be held simultaneously. If either the House of the People or a legislative assembly is dissolved before the end of its full term, the new House or assembly formed would serve for the unexpired term.
Historical Background of the Idea
Simultaneous elections are not a new concept in India. Following the adoption of the constitution, elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies were conducted simultaneously from 1951 to 1967. The first four elections—in 1951–52, 1957, 1962, and 1967—followed this pattern. However, the cycle of simultaneous elections was disrupted due to the premature dissolution of some legislative assemblies in 1968 and 1969, and of the fourth Lok Sabha in 1970. The fifth Lok Sabha’s tenure was extended until 1977 under Article 352 following the proclamation of the Emergency. Since then, most Lok Sabha terms have been cut short, with only a few completing the full five years. State assemblies have similarly seen frequent premature dissolutions, causing a shift to staggered election schedules across the country.
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