Since last few years, everyone in legislative system and in Election Commission is talking about holding simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state-assemblies with latest one to debate being Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. But if all these are sincere without any political motive, then it should have been easily implemented. Even though phenomenon of simultaneous elections must be there like it existed in the pre-1967 era but due to anti-incumbency factor it is doubted that the idea is being mooted with political motives. Recent results of several elections like Bawana civic-elections in Delhi and for Delhi University Students Union reveal that public is totally fed up with present work style of politicians. Idea of simultaneous elections should be preceded by first converting NOTA into Right-To-Reject with riders so that political parties may be compelled to field only good candidates. Secondly it must be ensured that chain of simultaneous elections may not be broken due to mid-term election to any state-assembly. For this Chief Ministers may be simultaneously elected with Speakers and Deputy Speakers through secret and compulsory vote of all MLAs through EVMs with VVAT provision on nominations signed by at least 34-per cent members of the lower House. Such elected leaders may only be removed through same process but with compulsion to name alternate leader in the same motion. MLAs not participating in such election-process may lose right to vote in state-assemblies though retaining membership.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
