Indian Legislation and Fixed-Term Debate

• The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, mandates a fixed five-year term for Lok Sabha and State Legislature elections.

• Questions arise about the effectiveness of fixed tenures in governance and reducing frequent elections.

• P.D.T. Achary criticizes the bill and simultaneous polls, arguing they don’t reduce electoral expenditure.

• M.R. Madhavan supports the bill’s ability to allow mid-term elections, aligning with the Constitution’s structure.

• MRM finds the bill symmetrical, aligning Parliament’s tenure with State Assemblies’.

• PDTA argues the bill standardizes election timing, not threatening federalism.

• The bill’s proposal to make State Assemblies’ tenure contingent on Parliament undermines federalism principles.

• The Bill aligns State Assemblies’ tenure with Parliament for the first time.

• It addresses concerns about large-scale defections in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, triggering by-elections.

• The bill allows for the dissolution of State Assemblies to address political exigencies.

• The Bill is misunderstood as proposing fixed legislative tenures, introducing a “maximum term.”

• The current system should be preserved despite its flaws.