One Nation, One Election: Law Commission Draft to Pitch For Simultaneous Polls in 19 States in 2019
The Law Commission also examined the measures which could be adopted in cases of hung assemblies or no-confidence motion sailing through against the incumbent government.
New Delhi, April 11: The Law Commission of India is preparing a working draft which would recommend the manner in which the government's initiative of 'one nation, one election' could be rolled out. The panel, reports said, is likely to recommend simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls in 19 states in 2019.
The Commission is considering to put forth a proposal which would divide the states and union territories into two clusters. The 'Cluster-I', which would include 19 states and UTs, would go to polls next year along with the general elections.
The 'Cluster-II', which would comprise of 12 UTs and states, will elect new governments in 2024, when the 18th Lok Sabha polls is scheduled to be held, reported The New Indian Express.
The Cluster-I will include the states of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Jammu & Kashmir, among others, where the current tenure of the legislative assembly is slated to conclude before 2021.
Meanwhile, the states of UP, Karnataka, Mizoram, Tripura, Gujarat and Punjab among others, where the assembly's tenure is expected to continue till 2022, have been included in the second cluster.
The tenure of the assemblies under Cluster-II will be increased by 24 to 30 months through an amendment of the Representation of the People Act (1951).
The Law Commission also examined the measures which could be adopted in cases of hung assemblies or no-confidence motion sailing through against the incumbent government.
To address such issues after the one nation, one election concept gets implemented, the panel will recommend the replacement of no-confidence motion with a ‘constructive vote of no-confidence’, where the incumbent government could be ousted only if the Opposition could form an alternative government -- through defection of legislators from the ruling camp or breakaway of ruling alliance partners in case of coalition governments.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 11, 2018 06:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).