After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong pitch for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, the Law Ministry has suggested consideration of the issue from the legal and logistical angles separately.
The legal angle would involve constitutional amendments that would be required to be passed before the idea could be implemented on the ground. The ministry has, in a note sent to the “highest level” of the government, split the issue into two parts for consideration.
Following the recommendation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law in December last to hold the two polls together, the Law Ministry had sought the views of the Election Commission.
The Commission, while supporting the idea, had made it clear that it will cost a lot and the Constitution will have to be amended to curtail or extend the term of certain state assemblies. Now, after analysing the report of the standing committee and the poll panel, the Law Ministry has split the issue into two parts -- one dealing with legalities involved and the other regarding logistics, infrastructure and finances.