Wed Dec 03 22:11:04 UTC 2025: ## News Article: Law Commission: Simultaneous Elections Bill Doesn’t Need State Ratification
New Delhi – December 4, 2025 – The Law Commission has advised a joint parliamentary committee that the proposed constitutional amendment bill enabling simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies does not require ratification by at least 50% of state legislatures. In a concise opinion delivered on November 28th, the Law Commission asserted the bill falls within the purview of Parliament’s legislative powers and therefore circumvents the need for state ratification.
This opinion follows a more comprehensive assessment provided by the Commission in October. Law Commission Chairman Justice Dinesh Maheshwari (retd), Member Secretary Anju Rathi Rana, and Joint Secretary Varsha Sinha are scheduled to brief the parliamentary committee on the finer legal nuances of the bill today.
The Commission has further stated that the proposed amendment does not undermine the fundamental structure of the Constitution. Addressing concerns about federalism, the Commission emphasized that the Indian Constitution envisions a framework that integrates diverse units with a robust central government, rather than compartmentalizing them. The parliamentary committee is currently reviewing bills aimed at synchronizing elections for both national and state bodies.
First Piper 