Government to notify elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies
18 Mar 2009
The union cabinet, as per the recommendation of the President of India, will issue notifications under sub-section (2) of section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, in the Gazette of India on 23 March, 28 March, 2 April, 11 April and 17 April, 2009 calling upon the respective parliamentary constituencies to elect members in accordance with the provisions of the said Act and of the rules and orders made thereunder on the dates recommended by the Election Commission.
The Election Commission had announced the schedule for general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha as well as to the legislative assemblies of the states, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Sikkim to be held simultaneously and has recommended that the polls to be held in five phases, on different dates, ie, on 16 April, 23 April, 30 April, 7 May and 13 May, 2009, a government press note said.
As per clause (2) of article 83 of the Constitution, the Lok Sabha (House of the People), unless sooner dissolves, 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. The term of the Fourteenth Lok Sabha is due to expire on the 1st June 2009 as its first sitting was held on the 2 June 2004.
Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 requires that for the purpose of constituting a new House of the People on the expiration of the existing House or on its dissolution, the President shall, by one or more notifications published in the Gazette of India, on such date or dates, as may be recommended by the Election Commission, call upon all Parliamentary constituencies to elect members.
