The 18th Lok Sabha Election was held between April 19 and June 1, 2024, in seven phases, and the results were announced on June 4th by the Election Commission of India. Lok Sabha elections are held every five years to elect members to the lower house of Parliament, with each of the 543 constituencies electing one Member of Parliament (MP) through a first-past-the-post voting system. The election process is conducted in phases to ensure security and smooth management across the diverse country, with universal suffrage allowing all citizens aged 18 and above to vote.
These elections are critical as they determine the composition of the government. The party or coalition that wins a majority of seats forms the government, and its leader becomes the Prime Minister. This year’s election saw extensive campaigning and debates on national and regional issues, focusing on governance, development, and socio-economic policies.
In the 2024 election results:
- The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), secured 293 seats, including support from allies like N. Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), which won 16 and 12 seats, respectively, in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.
- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the largest party with 240 seats, securing a 36.56% vote share, a slight decline from its 303 seats in 2019.
- The Indian National Congress (INC) won 99 seats with a 21.19% vote share, improving from its 52 seats in 2019, making it the second-largest party.
- The INDIA alliance won 234 seats in total.
Other notable parties include the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, which won 37 seats, and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which won 29 seats in West Bengal.
Questions
Question 1:
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 293 seats in the 18th Lok Sabha Elections of 2024, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) securing 240 seats. Under the Indian Constitution, what is the minimum number of seats required for a party or coalition to form a majority government in the Lok Sabha?
(a) 250 seats
(b) 272 seats
(c) 275 seats
(d) 300 seats
Question 2:
The first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting system is used in Lok Sabha elections, where the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins. Critics argue that this system can lead to a discrepancy between the percentage of votes a party receives and the number of seats it wins. What is a possible consequence of using the FPTP system in a multi-party election like India’s Lok Sabha elections?
(a) Parties with a large percentage of the national vote may receive fewer seats than parties with a concentrated regional vote.
(b) The party with the highest percentage of votes automatically wins the election, regardless of seat distribution.
(c) Parties are required to form coalitions before the election in order to gain representation.
(d) Only national parties are allowed to contest elections under the FPTP system.
Question 3:
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Congress (INC) won 99 seats with a 21.19% vote share. Despite securing a significant share of the vote, the INC did not emerge as the majority party. What is the most likely explanation for this outcome?
(a) The FPTP system does not convert vote shares directly into an equivalent number of seats, benefiting parties with more geographically concentrated votes.
(b) The INC’s vote share was insufficient to win any seats, as only a party with more than 30% vote share can win seats in the Lok Sabha.
(c) The INC did not contest elections in all constituencies, reducing their total seat count.
(d) The Election Commission allocated more seats to smaller regional parties, reducing the number of seats for national parties.
Question 4:
The Election Commission of India conducts elections in phases to manage logistics and ensure security. Why is the election process for the Lok Sabha often conducted in multiple phases across different states?
(a) To ensure that the results are announced in stages, allowing political parties to plan their next steps accordingly.
(b) To accommodate regional differences in climate and geography, and to ensure that security forces can be allocated efficiently across sensitive areas.
(c) To allow voters to travel between constituencies and vote in multiple phases of the election.
(d) To give political parties extra time to campaign in states where they are weaker.
Question 5:
Suppose a candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections is dissatisfied with the results in their constituency and alleges that election irregularities occurred. Under Indian law, what legal mechanism allows the candidate to challenge the election results?
(a) Filing an election petition in the High Court within 45 days of the declaration of results, alleging corrupt practices or violations of electoral laws.
(b) Appealing directly to the President of India for a recount of votes in the constituency.
(c) Approaching the Supreme Court to demand fresh elections in the constituency where irregularities occurred.
(d) Requesting a vote recount through the Election Commission without needing to provide evidence of irregularities.
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