02 Sep 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

02 September 2023 CNA
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A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
INDIAN POLITY
1. Government panel to study simultaneous polls to LS, State Assemblies
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
INDIAN ECONOMY
1. An uneven rebound
F. Prelims Facts
1. Pulikkali
2. India’s first solar observatory mission to be launched today
3. Seven years on, mission to clean the Ganga remains a work in progress
G. Tidbits
1. Malati Mem
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

A. GS 1 Related

B. GS 2 Related

Category: INDIAN POLITY

1. Government panel to study simultaneous polls to LS, State Assemblies

Syllabus – Issues and Challenges Pertaining to the Federal Structure

Prelims – Panel on Simultaneous elections, Jeevan Reddy Commission, Law Commission

Mains – Simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, Impact of Simultaneous polls on federal structure

Introduction:

The Union government has formed a panel under former President Ram Nath Kovind to study simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Simultaneous elections refer to the idea of holding national, state, and local elections simultaneously. This concept has gained significant attention in recent times due to various reasons. 

Evolution of the idea

• 1983: The Election Commission suggests that simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies should be held.
• 1999: The Law Commission headed by Justice B P Jeevan Reddy recommends in its 170th Report that India should return to the system of holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies.
• 2015: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice compiles a report on the feasibility of holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
• 2019: The Election Commissioner expresses the EC’s support for simultaneous elections, stating that it is a desirable goal, but highlighting that systems will need to take steps to ensure the life of state assemblies aligns with the life of parliament.

Also read Powers of Election Commission of India.

Benefits

1. Reduced Expenditure: Conducting separate elections results in massive expenditure, which can be avoided if simultaneous elections are held. For example, Bibek Debroy and Kishore Desai of the NITI Aayog wrote that the elections of 2009 had cost the exchequer about Rs 1,115 crore, and the 2014 elections about Rs 3,870 crore.
2. Improved Governance: Frequent elections lead to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct, which hampers the proper functioning of the government. With simultaneous elections, the government can focus on delivering services to citizens without interruption.
3. Enhanced Voter Turnout: As per the analysis of the Law Commission, simultaneous polls may boost voter turnout. When voters have to cast multiple ballots on different days, some might skip voting in later rounds, especially those living far from polling stations.
4. Better Utilization of Resources: If simultaneous elections are conducted, all government officials can be utilized at one time, reducing the chances of malpractices like black money and booth capturing.

Challenges:

1. Difficulty in Addressing State-Specific Issues: Assembly elections are often fought over issues specific to each state, such as law and order, education, healthcare, and essential services like water and electricity. Simultaneous elections may divert voters’ attention from these local concerns, potentially affecting their voting decisions.
2. Lack of Accountability: Holding elections every five years may reduce the accountability of political leaders. Frequent elections keep them on their toes and committed to the public cause.
3. Challenges in Handling Hung Assemblies: Given the trend of hung assemblies, if a state or Lok Sabha is dissolved early, it would necessitate holding unnecessary elections in all states again or imposing President’s Rule in certain states where the state assembly has prematurely dissolved until the next cycle of elections is held. This would go against the fundamental principles of India’s parliamentary democracy and federal framework.
4. Sidelining Smaller Parties: National parties may drown out the voices of smaller parties that address regional issues, as they wield greater influence and resources. This could result in the marginalization of smaller parties that emerged to tackle specific challenges faced by the people of a particular state.
5. Other Challenges: Midterm changes, such as a party losing power, a minister being removed or dying, or a seat becoming vacant, would be easier to handle under the current system.

Way Forward

• The Law Commission, led by Justice B S Chauhan, concluded in a draft report on August 30, 2018, that simultaneous elections cannot be held under the current constitutional framework.
• To hold simultaneous elections, amendments would be required to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act 1951, and the Rules of Procedure of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. For example, some of the constitutional changes are: 
  • Article 83: Changes related to the duration of Houses of Parliament.
  • Article 85: Changes related to the dissolution of the Lok Sabha by the President.
  • Article 172: Changes related to the duration of state legislatures.
  • Article 174: Changes related to the dissolution of state legislatures.
  • Article 356: Changes related to the imposition of President’s Rule in states.
• At least 50% of the states must ratify the constitutional amendments.
• The Commission suggested conducting all elections due in a calendar year simultaneously.
• The Commission proposed replacing the “no-confidence motion” with a “constructive vote of no-confidence” through appropriate amendments, ensuring that a government can only be removed if there is confidence in an alternative government.

Conclusion

The panel should work by taking all the political parties into confidence with transparency and openness to ensure consensus on this crucial issue which has important implications for both parliamentary democracy and federal government. 

Nut Graf: The Union government has formed a panel to study the feasibility of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The idea has been gaining traction in recent years due to its potential benefits, such as reduced expenditure and improved governance. However, there are also challenges associated with simultaneous elections, such as the difficulty in addressing state-specific issues and the marginalization of smaller parties. Transparent dialogue is the need of the hour to build consensus among parties.

C. GS 3 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

G. Tidbits

1. Malati Mem

• Malati Mem (Mangri Orang) was an Adivasi woman who led a fight against foreign liquor and opium in Assam’s Darrang district.
•  In 1921, she was killed by government supporters at Lalmati in Darrang district for supporting Congress Volunteers in a prohibition campaign.
• Mangri Orang is considered an unsung hero of India’s struggle for freedom from British rule and is believed to be the first female martyr of the freedom movement.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. With reference to Pulikali (Tiger Dance) in Kerala, consider the following 
statements:

1. Pulikali is performed during the first day of the Onam festival.
2. Artists paint their bodies like tigers with stripes of yellow, red, and black.
3. The main theme of Pulikali is tiger hunting.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect because Pulikali is performed on the fourth day of the Onam festival, not the first day.

Q2. With reference to Mangri Orang, an unsung hero of India's freedom struggle, which
of the following statements is correct?

1. Mangri Orang is known for her resistance against the sale of foreign liquor and opium during the colonial period.
2. Malati Mem is a play that celebrates Mangri Orang’s revolutionary spirit and life.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2 
4. Neither 1 nor 2

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation: Mangri Orang was gunned down in 1921 for leading a fight against foreign liquor and opium during the colonial period.

Q3. Which two countries have been in conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the
South Caucasus?

1. Armenia and Georgia
2. Azerbaijan and Iran
3. Armenia and Azerbaijan
4. Russia and Turkey

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation: Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, primarily inhabited by ethnic Armenians but located within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan.

Q4. With reference to the filing of election petitions in India, which of the following
statements is correct?

1. Election petitions can be filed in any High Court regardless of the state where the election was conducted.
2. Only the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to decide on election petitions.
3. Election petitions are filed in the High Court of the state where the election took place.
4. Election petitions can be filed in the District Court of the constituency where the election was conducted.

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation: Election petitions are filed in the High Court of the particular state in which the election was conducted. Therefore, only the High Courts have the original jurisdiction to decide on election petitions. 

Q5. With reference to the Aditya L1 mission, consider the following statements:

1. Aditya L1 will be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 2 (L2) of the Sun-Earth system.
2. The spacecraft will observe the Sun continuously without any occultation/eclipses.
3. It carries five payloads to observe the Sun’s photosphere, chromosphere, and the corona.

How many of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation: Aditya L1 will orbit Sun-Earth L1, not L2. It carries seven payloads to study the Sun, including the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona, not five as stated.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

1. Critically evaluate the viability of ‘One Nation, One Election’. (250 words, 15 marks) (GS-2; Indian Polity)
2. Examine the progress of the National Mission for Clean Ganga. (250 words, 15 marks) (GS-2; Governance)

Read previous CNA articles here.