A consultation of law commission of India is holding a three-day discussion summit on 7, 8 and 11 July with various political parties regarding the feasibility of conducting concurrent Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. Representatives from various parties will likely to attend the discussion. But the Indian national congress (INC) and communist party of Indian Marxist (CPIM) are the only parties which aren’t attending this discussion. As per our sources, the two are yet to respond to the invitation.
Regional parties such as Samajwadi Party (SP), Dravida Munnetra kazagham (DMK), Trinamool Congress (TMC), RLD, AIADMK, have confirmed their participation. The leader of CPIM Sitaram Yechury has replied to the commission saying that “One poll will be a casualty on federalism” Sources said that the law commission has allowed separate timings to all the respective parties. TMC was the first party to meet the commission. Meanwhile, BJD favored the proposal saying “It will save money and time and make governance effective”.
The commission is headed by justice BS Chauhan. After all the viewpoints of the parties, the law panel will submit its report. Interestingly two new Muslim parties will also attend the consultation. AIUDF from Assam will be represented by the panel of Supreme Court lawyers, who are members of the party too.
Also back in January this year at a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on public law and justice, parties like Congress CPIM and TMC opposed this idea.
Congress and CPIM are not attending this discussion, While TMC opposes this idea.
The commission will propose a series of constitutional and other amendments to the representatives of peoples Act 1951.
Meanwhile, Thambidurai, who is Lok Sabha deputy speaker said that “This proposal could be considered in 2024 but we don’t want simultaneous polls in 2019”
Commission had noted that after independence simultaneous election were held in two decades up to 1967.