The Union Law Ministry has boldly stated in a written reply to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that the proposed Bills for simultaneous elections do not break India’s Constitution or harm its federal spirit. This comes as the JPC, led by senior BJP leader P.P. Chaudhary, prepares to hear from the 23rd Law Commission and the Election Commission on December 4. The Law Ministry will join later to answer more questions. The Ministry cleared fog around fears that cutting short a government’s five-year term may hurt voter power. It pointed to Articles 83(2) and 172(1) of the Constitution, which clearly say the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies have five-year terms “unless sooner dissolved.” This means early elections are allowed — and the framers planned it that way! “The five-year tenure is neither sacrosanct nor part of the basic structure,” the Ministry said. It reminded everyone how during the 1976 Emergency, the 42nd Amendment stretched terms to six years, only for the 44th Amendment to bring it back to five. So, if the Constitution itself allowed extending tenure, then a once-off shortening to line up elections is no big deal. There were worries that these Bills might clash with the Supreme Court’s famous Kesavananda Bharati verdict which protects the Constitution’s key parts like separation of powers and federalism. The Ministry assured that the Bills neither harm these principles nor upset the balance between the legislature, executive, and judiciary. On mid-term elections, the Ministry explained, “Mid-term elections do not limit the plenary power of the electorate to elect representatives.” Voting rights, under Article 326, are not classified as fundamental rights, which gives some flexibility. To ease fears about disturbing India’s federal setup, the Ministry cited Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s wisdom: the Constitution is flexible. It works as a federation by default but switches to a unitary system during emergencies. Synchronising elections will not upset this balance, supported by several Supreme Court rulings. What about the Election Commission’s powers? The Ministry pointed out the EC already has strong autonomy under Article 324 and rules under the Representation of the People Act. The EC will manage polls as usual and can ask the President to postpone elections if rare, tricky situations arise. The Ministry stressed that simultaneous elections aim to lower election frequency and costs without bending constitutional rules. Surprisingly, no Lok Sabha has ever completed a full five-year term in history, as fresh polls happen earlier. The Ministry also reminded that mid-term polls have occurred seven times since Independence. Lastly, quoting the Supreme Court’s Kuldip Nayar verdict, the Ministry said voting is a constitutional and legal right, not a fundamental right. The Representation of the People Act sets clear rules on who can vote or not, like excluding non-citizens or those guilty of corrupt practices. In short, the Law Ministry’s fiery, fact-packed submission aims to clear myths and pave the way for smooth talks on one of India’s biggest electoral reforms yet!