Modi wants to end India's election cycle; how will simultaneous polls help?

Modi argued simultaneous elections will save time and money, while allowing political parties to focus on policy and governance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to end India’s relentless election cycle, where about six states go to the polls each year.

The country’s Law Commission, which provides advice to the government, backs the initiative and said simultaneous elections for the lower house of parliament and state assemblies could be held in two phases starting in 2019. Its recommendations come months after Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind pitched the idea.

Joint elections would require constitutional amendments as well as ratification by the majority of India’s 29 states, the Commission said in a draft working paper released on Tuesday. Yet given it took