Why in news
- Legal policy groups submitted risk assessments to the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining simultaneous elections across Parliament and State Assemblies.
What is the proposal?
- A structural reform seeking to synchronize elections for the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and local bodies across India.
- Recommends amending constitutional provisions governing the tenure of legislative assemblies to establish a synchronized cycle.
Key constitutional risks identified
- Truncating or extending elected State Assembly terms requires amending Article 83 and Article 172, impacting the democratic mandate.
- Delegating Parliament's constitutional amending authority to secondary legislation risks violating the Basic Structure doctrine.
Why it matters
- Simultaneous elections require widespread constitutional amendments and ratification by at least half of the State Legislatures under Article 368(2).
- Balances national electoral cost reduction against regional political representation and federal governance principles.
Key terms
Basic Structure Doctrine
A judicial principle establishing that Parliament cannot alter foundational features of the Constitution through amendments.
Article 368(2)
Constitutional clause requiring ratification by state legislatures for amendments affecting federal structures.
Prelims facts
- Constitutional amendments affecting federal representation under Article 368 require ratification by not less than half of the State Legislatures.
Mains discussion
- Analyze the impact of premature Assembly dissolution mechanisms on the feasibility of simultaneous elections in a federal democracy.
Source: Economic Times