Brief History of General Elections of Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s Parliament, has witnessed 17 general elections since India’s independence. Each election has played a crucial role in shaping the nation’s political landscape. This article provides a brief overview of the key facts and highlights from the 1st to the 17th Lok Sabha elections.

1st Lok Sabha (1952-1957)

Total Seats: 499

• Election Period: 25 October 1951 – 21 February 1952
• Phases: 68 voting phases
• First Ballots: Chini and Pangi in Himachal Pradesh
• Results: Congress – 364 seats, Communist Party of India (CPI) – 16 seats, Socialist Party (India) – 12 seats
• Notable Facts: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Scheduled Caste Federation (SCF) secured 2 seats. Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar was the first Speaker.

2nd Lok Sabha (1957-1962)

Seats: 505

• Results: Congress – 371 seats, CPI – 27 seats, Praja Socialist Party – 19 seats
• Notable Facts: First session post States Reorganisation Act of 1956, with only 4 national and 11 state parties competing. 22 women were elected, with most from Madhya Pradesh.

3rd Lok Sabha (1962-1967)

Seats: 508

• Results: Congress – 44.72% votes, CPI – 9.94%, Swatantra Party – 7.89%
• Notable Facts: Indelible ink was used for the first time. Prime Ministers: Nehru, Gulzarilal Nanda (acting), Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Indira Gandhi.

4th Lok Sabha (1967-1970)

Total Seats: 523

• Results: Congress – 283 seats, Swatantra Party – 44 seats, Bharatiya Jana Sangh – 35 seats
• Notable Facts: Indira Gandhi became the first female Prime Minister. The Congress split in 1969, leading to Congress (R) and Congress (O).

5th Lok Sabha (1971-1977)

Total Seats: 521

• Results: Congress – 352 seats, CPI (Marxist) – 25 seats, CPI and DMK – 23 seats each
• Notable Facts: Indira Gandhi’s “Garibi Hatao” slogan and leadership during the Bangladesh war. Emergency declaration on 25 June 1977 marked a dark period.

6th Lok Sabha (1977-1980)

Total Seats: 544

• Results: Bharatiya Lok Dal – 295 seats, Congress – 154 seats, CPM – 22 seats
• Notable Facts: Morarji Desai became the first non-Congress Prime Minister at age 81.

7th Lok Sabha (1980-1984)

Total Seats: 531

• Results: Congress – 353 seats, Janata Party (S) – 41 seats, CPI (Marxist) – 37 seats
• Notable Facts: Unemployment, labor unrest, and increasing militancy in Punjab. Operation Blue Star led to Indira Gandhi’s assassination.

8th Lok Sabha (1984-1989)

Total Seats: 516

• Results: Congress – 414 seats, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) – 30 seats, CPM – 22 seats
• Notable Facts: Emergence of BJP and TDP. Communal disharmony, anti-Sikh riots, and the Bofors scam.

9th Lok Sabha (1989-1991)

Total Seats: 531

• Results: Janata Dal – 143 seats, BJP – 85 seats, Congress – 197 seats
• Notable Facts: V.P. Singh became Prime Minister. Mandal and Mandir politics led to nationwide unrest.

10th Lok Sabha (1991-1996)

Total Seats: 508

• Results: Congress – 232 seats, BJP – 120 seats, Janata Dal – 59 seats
• Notable Facts: Economic liberalization under Narasimha Rao. Babri Masjid demolition and Mandal Commission report caused polarization.

11th Lok Sabha (1996-1998)

Total Seats: 545

• Results: BJP – 161 seats, Congress – 140 seats, Janata Dal – 46 seats
• Notable Facts: Rise in caste-based and regional politics. United Front government faced corruption scandals and instability.

12th Lok Sabha (1998-1999)

Total Seats: 545

• Results: BJP – 182 seats, Congress – 141 seats, CPM – 32 seats
• Notable Facts: Shortest-ever session due to political instability. Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership helped BJP gain prominence.

13th Lok Sabha (1999-2004)

Total Seats: 545

• Results: BJP – 182 seats, Congress – 114 seats, CPM – 33 seats
• Notable Facts: Kargil War boosted Vajpayee’s popularity. Golden Quadrilateral Project and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana launched.

14th Lok Sabha (2004-2009)

Total Seats: 545

• Results: Congress – 145 seats, BJP – 138 seats
• Notable Facts: Economic growth under Manmohan Singh. Introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

15th Lok Sabha (2009-2014)

Seats: 545

• Results: Congress-led UPA retained power. Meira Kumar became the first woman Speaker.
• Notable Facts: Right to Education Act passed and Andhra Pradesh reorganized.

16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019)

Total Seats: 545

• Results: BJP – 282 seats, Congress – 37 seats
• Notable Facts: Introduction of policies like GST, demonetization, Digital India, and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. NOTA option presented for the first time.

17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024)

Total Seats: 545

• Results: BJP – 350 seats
• Notable Facts: National security, COVID-19 pandemic, farmers’ unrest, and abrogation of Article 370 were key issues. EVMs 100% backed by Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).

Allocation of Seats Based on Delimitation Commission

Key Facts:

• Constitution Articles: 82 and 170
• Delimitation Exercises: Conducted in 1952, 1963, 1973, and 2002
• Current Law: Next delimitation may be conducted after the first census post-2026
• Commissions: Formed by the President, work closely with the Election Commission. Decisions cannot be challenged.