How House terms and poll schedules are decided
- March 20, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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How House terms and poll schedules are decided
Subject: Polity
Section: Elections
Context:
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced a schedule adjustment for the elections to the Lok Sabha and four state Assemblies, moving the vote counting in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh to June 2, from the initially scheduled June 4.
- This change was made because the terms of the Legislative Assemblies in these states expire on June 2, 2024.
Original Schedule:
- Initially, Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim were set to begin with notifications on March 20, nominations till March 27, withdrawals by March 30, and voting on April 19.
- Lok Sabha elections were planned in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with a single-day election in 22 states and Union Territories, including Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. The counting was originally set for June 4 for all seats.
- Reason for Change:
- The ECI realized post-announcement that the assemblies’ terms ended on June 2, necessitating the completion of the election process before this date.
Constitutional Terms for Assemblies and Lok Sabha:
- The Constitution mandates that state Assemblies and Lok Sabha last five years from their first sitting.
- For Lok Sabha, Article 83(2) states: “The House of the People, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer and the expiration of the said period of five years shall operate as a dissolution of the House.”
- For Legislative Assemblies, Article 172(1) states: “Every Legislative Assembly of every State, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer and the expiration of the said period of five years shall operate as a dissolution of the Assembly.”
- The term of the Assembly “may, while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation, be extended by Parliament.. for a period not exceeding one year at a time and not extending in any case beyond a period of six months after the Proclamation has ceased to operate”.
Application to Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh:
- The current Assemblies of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh first met on June 3, 2019,ending their term on June 2, 2024.
- Officials aim to complete counting and announce results before midnight of June 2.
Election Schedule Considerations:
- The ECI considers various factors like weather, festivals, exams, and logistical requirements for security and polling stations.
- The expiration date of the legislature’s term is a primary consideration, known five years in advance.
Previous Instances and Adjustments:
- The ECl has in the past drawn up schedules delinking the counting in a particular state from the counting in the rest of the country.
- There have been adjustments to accommodate state-specific circumstances, such as in 2004 for Andhra Pradesh and in 2023 for Mizoram, to respect local practices and significant dates.
Source: IE