Can a candidate contest from two seats/constituencies in Lok Sabha Election: Law and History

NEW DELHI: In India, the concept of a candidate contesting from two seats or constituencies in the Lok Sabha Election is not uncommon, although with certain legal provisions and historical precedents.

Recently, the question around dual candidature arose when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from Uttar Pradesh's Rai Bareli after contesting from Kerala's Wayanad in the second phase.

Apart from Rahul Gandhi, in the Odisha assembly election, being held simultaneously, chief minister Naveen Patnaik has filed nominations from two seats -- Kantabanji and Hinjili assembly seats.

According to the Representation of the People Act , of 1951, an individual is legally permitted to contest elections from two Lok Sabha constituencies simultaneously.

However, if the candidate wins from both constituencies, they must vacate one seat within fourteen days, triggering a by-election in the constituency they choose to relinquish.

This provision is in place to prevent an individual from holding multiple seats in the Lok Sabha, ensuring representation is not concentrated in the hands of one individual and promoting fairness in the electoral process.

Historically, there have been instances where prominent politicians have contested from two constituencies in the Lok Sabha Elections.

One notable example is former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee , who contested from Lucknow and Gandhinagar constituencies in the 1996 general elections. He won both seats but chose to retain the Lucknow seat, thus necessitating a by-election in Gandhinagar. In 1999, ex-Congress president Sonia Gandhi fought from Bellari in Karnataka and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi fought the general elections from Gujarat's Vadodara and Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. He won both the seats but retained the Varanasi seat.

Similarly, in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contested from two constituencies – Amethi in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad in Kerala. However, he won only on the Wayanad seat.

Such occurrences highlight the strategic considerations and political dynamics at play in Indian elections, where candidates may opt to contest from multiple constituencies to maximize their chances of victory or to signify their commitment to diverse regions.

While the law permits candidates to contest from two seats in the Lok Sabha Election, they must adhere to the stipulated guidelines regarding the vacation of one seat if they emerge victorious in both, as established by the Representation of the People Act, 1951.