Their Fancy, Our Burden

In every election, there are some candidates who contest from two assembly or Parliament constituencies at the same time due to many reasons including their over-confidence or over fear. The main motive of such candidates is undoubtedly to seek insurance against any shock defeat. Some of them win both seats as well, but they have to leave one as legally they can represent only one constituency at a time. Relinquishing one seat imposes an avoidable bye election in that constituency resulting in unnecessary burden on public funds.

The absence of any legal bar in a candidate contesting from two  constituencies when he can represent only one is illogical.  Further, it is totally irrational and grossly unjust that the public exchequer has to bear the cost of an unnecessary bye-election imposed solely by the fancy, or confidence, or fear of such candidates. It is high time that the Representation of People Act was amended to bar a politician from contesting an election from more than one seat. This suggestion was mooted in several forums and before several authorities including the Election Commission (EC). It is learnt that the EC is now seized of this issue and contemplating a move in the matter.