Law Commission drafts white paper on simultaneous polls

The Law Commission released a draft white paper on Wednesday favouring simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections to be possible held in 2019.

The highest law advisory body of the government said the white paper would be circulated to "constitutional experts, academia, political parties, bureaucrats, students, etc." The Commission, under the aegis of former Supreme Court judge Justice BS Chauhan, has invited opinions and suggestions on this issue to be submitted by May 8.

Delving in history, the Commission submitted that simultaneous elections were held in independent India during the first two decades after its independence. The "disruptions in the conduct of the simultaneous elections" happened due to the premature dissolution of certain assemblies in 1968 and 1969 leading to the premature dissolution of Lok Sabha.

In October 2017, the country's premier poll panel Election Commission submitted that simultaneous elections could be held in the country after September 2018.

To bring about simultaneous elections, the Law Commission has also proposed amending the Constitution to realise this objective and refers to the January 2017 working paper floated by the Niti Aayog on this subject.

Opinions Invited

The white paper will be circulated to constitutional experts, academia, political parties, bureaucrats, students, etc, inviting them to voice their opinions and suggestions by May 8.