Lok Sabha Election Date Announced: Result, Process, and Impact on Indian Politics

PWOnlyIAS March 16, 2024 03:10 1074 0

Election Commission of India announced the date of Lok Sabha elections from April 19. It will be held in seven phases and results will be declared on June 4. Four states will also be holding simultaneous Assembly elections viz, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim.

Lok Sabha Election Date Announced: Result, Process, and Impact on Indian Politics

Countdown to Lok Sabha Election 2024: Anticipating the 18th Lok Sabha Elections

The date for general elections is announced to elect the 18th Lok Sabha. Lok Sabha elections will be held across the country, they will be conducted in Seven phases. The Election Commission of India announced the dates and it will be conducted from 19 April 2024 to 01 June 2024.

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Post Announcement of Dates

Implementation of the Model Code of Conduct: As soon as the Election Commission of India announces date of the Lok Sabha elections, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will come into effect nation-wide, and will stay until the results of the Lok Sabha Election are declared.
Electoral Rolls: The ECI will also provide details on how eligible voters can apply to have their name included in the voter list.

- The electorate for the general elections is expected to touch 1 billion (100 crore) people, which is roughly equivalent to 12.5 per cent of the global population.

EVM Requirement: The ECI will also provide details on the number of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines required for conducting the upcoming election.

- Procedure for assignment of EVMs, verification of their functioning, and storage and transport will also be announced.

What is Lok Sabha? Key Features, Constitutional Provisions, and Electoral Dynamics

About: Lok Sabha is the Lower house of the Indian Parliament and enjoys Legislative, Executive, Financial, Judicial and Electoral powers.
Constitutional Provisions: Under Article 81, the total composition of the Lok Sabha must not exceed 552.
- Out of these, 20 are members of the Union Territories, and 530 members are the representatives of State.
Membership: Currently elections will be conducted by the Election Commission to fill 543 seats.
- The two remaining nominated seats for Anglo-Indians have been abolished under the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019.
Term: The members of Lok Sabha hold office for a term of 5 years. The members are directly elected based on Universal Adult Suffrage.
- In case of Emergency, the tenure of Lok Sabha can be extended to one year.

Lok Sabha Seat Distribution: State-wise Breakdown and Reserved Categories

State/ UT	Total Lok Sabha Seats	Reserved Seats
State/ UT	Total Lok Sabha Seats	SC	ST
Andhra Pradesh	25	4	1
Assam	14	1	2
Arunachal Pradesh	2	0	0
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	1	0	0
Bihar	40	6	0
Chhattisgarh	11	1	4
Chandigarh	1	0	0
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	1	0	1
Delhi	7	1	0
Goa	2	0	0
Gujarat	26	2	4
Haryana	10	2	0
Himachal Pradesh	4	1	0
Jammu and Kashmir	5	0	0
Jharkhand	14	1	5
Karnataka	28	5	2
Kerala	20	2	0
Lakshadweep	1	0	1
Ladakh	1	0	0
Madhya Pradesh	29	4	6
Maharashtra	48	5	4
Manipur	2	0	1
Meghalaya	2	0	2
Mizoram	1	0	1
Nagaland	1	0	0
Odisha	21	3	5
Puducherry	1	0	0
Punjab	13	4	0
Rajasthan	25	4	3
Sikkim	1	0	0
Tamil Nadu	39	7	0
Tripura	2	0	1
Telangana	17	3	2
Uttar Pradesh	80	17	0
Uttarakhand	5	1	0
West Bengal	42	10	2

Delimitation Commission in India: Boundary Redrawing and Representation Process

About: The President of India appoints the delimitation commission for the purpose of drawing up the boundaries of constituencies all over the country.
Purpose: The process of delimitation is conducted to fix boundaries of territorial constituencies to represent changes in population.
- The data from the latest census is used for redrawing boundaries and also determining reserved seats.
- The commission also designated constituencies that will be reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in a particular state.
Process: The Delimitation Act under Article 82 will be enacted by the Parliament after every census.
- The Central Government sets up a Delimitation Commission after enactment of the act. The Delimitation commission conducts study on ground to determine constituencies in the states.
- The commission will be actively assisted by the Election Commission of India.
- Once the report of the Delimitation Commission is laid before the Lok Sabha or State Legislative Assembly, it cannot be modified.
- The decision of the commission cannot be questioned before any court of law.
Delimitation Commission Act 2002: As per this law, the next delimitation exercise may be conducted after the first census to be taken after the year 2026. So far, four such Commissions have been constituted in the year of 1952, 1963, 1973, and 2002.

Women Reservation Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam): The 2023 Amendment for Reservation in Indian Legislatures

Purpose: The Parliament enacted the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha, State legislative assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of UTs.
Identifying Constituencies: The seats reserved for women under the provision will be rotated after each delimitation process. It will also be applicable for SC and ST seats.
Implementation: The act will come into effect after the publication of the next census, which is due in 2027. Hence the act will likely be implemented in the 2029 General Elections.
Duration: The reservation will be initially provided for a period of 15 years but can be extended till such date as determined by a law made by Parliament.
Non-Applicability: One of the distinct features of the law is that it does not provide reservation in the Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils.

Democracy in Action: Understanding the Process of Lok Sabha Elections

Conducting Authority: The Lok Sabha elections are conducted by the Election Commission of India.
Constituencies: Seats in Lok Sabha are allotted to a state in such a manner that the ratio between that number and its population is as close to uniform as possible.
- Constituencies are formed in such a manner that the ratio between the population of each constituency and the number of seats allotted to it remain the same throughout the state.
Voters: Individuals who are 18 years of age, having registered themselves as a voter in a particular constituency, can vote in the elections.

Conducting a Lok Sabha Election: Roles and Responsibilities in Lok Sabha Election Conduct

Authority: The Election Commission of India, which is an autonomous constitutional body, is responsible for conducting Lok Sabha elections in India.
Officials Involved:
- Chief Electoral Officer: Chief Electoral Officers along with Additional Chief Electoral Officers and Deputy Chief Electoral Officers supervise all elections held in the State/Union Territory.
- The Returning Officer: The Election Commission of India appoints a Returning Officer to guide the election process in the constituency.
  - The Returning officers ensure smooth conduct of elections and also declare results after counting votes.
- Electoral Registration Officer (ERO): The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) is responsible for preparing and revising the electoral roll for each ward.
- District Election Officer (DEO): The provision of polling stations and the publication of the list of polling stations is the responsibility of the DEO.
- Booth Level Officers (BLOs): The functions of BLOs include updation of electoral rolls, distributing voter slips, carrying out poll day arrangements and providing assistance to voters in booths.

How Lok Sabha Members are Elected? The Democratic Path

Election Procedure: Lok Sabha members are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-past-the-post system.
Voting Procedure: Registered voters are required to cast their votes through an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).
Eligibility of Candidates:
- Under Article 84 of the Indian constitution, a candidate for Lok Sabha must have the following eligibility:
  - He/she should be a citizen of India.
    He/she should be 25 years of age.
  - He/she must not hold an office of profit under the Indian government or state governments.
  - He/she should have their name in the electoral rolls in any part of the country.
  - He/she must not be of an unstable mind.
  - He/she must possess qualifications prescribed under any law made by the Parliament.

Powers and Functions of Lok Sabha:

Motion of No-confidence: A no-confidence motion can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha. If passed by a majority vote, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers have to resign.
Impeachment: The Lok Sabha has the powers to carry out impeachment proceedings against the President, the judges of Supreme Court and High Court.
Election of the President: The members of Lok Sabha vote in the elections of the President and the Vice President of India.
Using Funds from Consolidated Fund of India: No money can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of India without the approval of the Lok Sabha.
- In this regard, the money bill can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha.
Passing of Bills: The Lok Sabha performs legislative functions by introducing general as well as Constitutional amendment bills.
Approving Emergency: The approval of Lok Sabha, along with Rajya Sabha, is needed for approving emergency proclamation. The approval of Lok Sabha is also needed for emergency discontinuation.

The Role and Election of Lok Sabha Speaker: Upholding Constitutional Leadership

About: The Lok Sabha speaker is the chairperson of Lok Sabha. He/she is the constitutional and ceremonial head of the House.
Origin: The office of the Speaker of Lok Sabha is based on the Government of India Act of 1919 (Montague-Chelmsford Reforms).
Criteria: Article 93 of the constitution provides that the Speaker should be a member of the House.
- Knowledge of Constitution and the laws of the country is considered a major asset for the designated speaker.
Process of Election: The Lok Sabha speaker is elected from amongst the members of the house by a simple majority of members present and voting.
Tenure: The Lok Sabha speaker holds office from the date of his/her election till the first meeting of the next Lok Sabha.
- The speaker does not vacate his/her office and continues till the newly-elected Lok Sabha meets.
Removal: The speaker leaves the office in following conditions:
- If he/she is no longer a member of the Lok Sabha;
- If he/she resigns by writing a resignation letter to the Deputy Speaker;
- If he/she is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all Lok Sabha members.
Functions:
- Interpreter of the Constitution: The speaker is the final interpreter of the Constitution of India, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha and the parliamentary precedents, within the House.
- Chairing Joint Sitting: The speaker chairs the joint sitting of the Parliament.
- Casting Vote: The speaker does not vote in the first instance but can vote in case of a tie.
- Disqualifications: The speaker decides the questions of disqualification of a member of the Lok Sabha on the basis of anti-defection law.
- Constituting House Committees: The Committees of the House are constituted by the speaker and they function under the direction of the speaker.
- Money Bill: The speaker decides whether a bill is a money bill or not and the decision of the speaker on this question is final.

Role and Election of Deputy Speaker in Lok Sabha: Supporting Parliamentary Continuity

About: The Deputy Speaker performs duty of the speaker during his/her absence. The office is not subordinate to the Speaker.
Election: The deputy speaker of Lok Sabha is elected by the members of the Lok Sabha from amongst its members immediately after the election of the Speaker.
- The date of the election is decided by the speaker.
Criteria: The deputy speaker must be a member of Lok Sabha and there is a convention that the post of Deputy Speaker goes to the main opposition party.
Tenure: The deputy speaker holds office during the life of the Lok Sabha.
Removal: The deputy speaker leaves the office in following conditions:
- If he/she is no longer a member of the Lok Sabha;
- If he/she resigns by writing a resignation letter to the Deputy Speaker;
- If he/she is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all Lok Sabha members.
Functions of Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha:
- The Deputy Speaker does not have any special responsibility apart from performing the duty of the speaker during his/her absence.

Lok Sabha Tenure: Normal Completion and Exceptional Dissolution Scenarios

Normal End: Under Article 83 (2) of Indian constitution, the Lok Sabha lasts until completion of five years from the first day of its meeting.
Exceptional Cases: However, on the advice of the Prime Minister, the Lok Sabha can be dissolved earlier by the President.
- The President can also dissolve Lok Sabha if he/she feels that no viable government can be formed after the current regime falls.

Lok Sabha Election 2019: Model Code, Seven Phases, and Record Turnout

Announcement: The Model Code of Conduct came into effect on 10 March 2019 after the election schedule was announced by Election Commission of India (ECI).
Duration: The Election Commission of India conducted Lok Sabha election in seven phases from 11 April 2019 to 19 May 2019.
Voters: There were 91. 2 crore people eligible to vote, with the turnout being 67 per cent. This was the highest ever turnout for Lok Sabha elections.

Lok Sabha Election Results 2019: BJP’s Dominance in Lok Sabha Elections 2019 and Key Outcomes

Winner: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won a majority after the election results were published.
Seat Share: BJP received 37.36% of the vote and won 303 seats. The vote-share of the BJP was the highest vote gained by a political party since the 1989 general election. The NDA won 353 seats.
- The Indian National Congress (INC) won 52 seats, failing to win 10% of the seats required to claim the post of Leader of the Opposition.
- The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) managed to win only 91 seats.
Prime Minister: Incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi staked claim to form the government, and was sworn-in as the Prime Minister for the second time.
Lok Sabha Speaker: BJP MP Om Birla was elected as the Speaker of the House. Since no party got 10% of the seats, the position of Leader of Opposition was not filled.
Deputy Speaker: Even after close to five years of the 18th Lok Sabha, no Deputy Speaker has been elected.
Women Share: The 17th Lok Sabha has the highest ever number of women MPs in India’s history with a total of 78 which is nearly 14%.

Conclusion

The Lok Sabha is not a continuous chamber as it generally has a fixed tenure of five years.
As the present Lok Sabha is nearing its end of tenure, the elections for the chamber will be notified soon.
The Lok Sabha election is a crucial event in Indian politics, determining the composition of the lower house of Parliament.
It involves millions of voters casting their ballots to elect representatives from various political parties.
These elections reflect the democratic spirit of India and have a significant impact on the country’s governance, policies, and socio-economic trajectory.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Lok Sabha, also known as House of people, is the lower house of the Indian Parliament. It consists of members elected directly through an adult universal suffrage.

The members of Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-past-the-post system. Every registered individual of 18 years can vote in the election.

The Lok Sabha speaker is elected from amongst the members of the house by a simple majority of members present and voting in the House.

The Lok Sabha elections of 2019 was won by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The leader of the alliance, BJP, won with a vote-share of 37.36% and won 303 seats.

The complete schedule of the General Elections 2024 will be announced by the Election Commission of India after March 13.

The dates for the Lok Sabha election is yet to be announced by the Election Commission of India. It is likely to be held between April and May 2024.

A Member of Parliament is elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-past-the-post system.

Currently, there are 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. All the members of the Lok Sabha are elected.

For being qualified to become a member of Lok Sabha, an individual has to be a citizen of India; they must have attained 25 years of age and must not hold an office of profit under the Indian government or state governments.

An individual can become a member of the Lok Sabha by contesting and winning the Lok Sabha elections.

The first step is to file nomination for contesting the elections. If the nomination is accepted, they will feature as a candidate in the election. If they receive the maximum votes in the elections, they will be designated as members of Lok Sabha.

Yes. Sitting MLAs can contest Lok Sabha elections without resigning from their position. However, they will have to resign from any one position in case they win the Lok Sabha election.

MPs are elected through an universal adult franchise exercised by eligible voters who are 18 years and above.

A candidate has to attain a minimum age of 25 years to be eligible to contest in the Lok Sabha elections.

For an MP to become a Prime Minister, he/she should have attained an age of 25 years in case they are members of Lok Sabha and 30 years in case of Rajya Sabha.

Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar was the first speaker of Lok Sabha.

The current speaker of the Lok Sabha is Om Birla.

The Prime Minister is the holder of the position of Leader of Lok Sabha if they are a member of the house.

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Lok Sabha Election Date Announced: Result, Process, and Impact on Indian Politics

Countdown to Lok Sabha Election 2024: Anticipating the 18th Lok Sabha Elections

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Post Announcement of Dates

What is Lok Sabha? Key Features, Constitutional Provisions, and Electoral Dynamics

Lok Sabha Seat Distribution: State-wise Breakdown and Reserved Categories

Delimitation Commission in India: Boundary Redrawing and Representation Process

Women Reservation Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam): The 2023 Amendment for Reservation in Indian Legislatures

Democracy in Action: Understanding the Process of Lok Sabha Elections

Conducting a Lok Sabha Election: Roles and Responsibilities in Lok Sabha Election Conduct

How Lok Sabha Members are Elected? The Democratic Path

Powers and Functions of Lok Sabha:

The Role and Election of Lok Sabha Speaker: Upholding Constitutional Leadership

Role and Election of Deputy Speaker in Lok Sabha: Supporting Parliamentary Continuity

Lok Sabha Tenure: Normal Completion and Exceptional Dissolution Scenarios

Lok Sabha Election 2019: Model Code, Seven Phases, and Record Turnout

Lok Sabha Election Results 2019: BJP’s Dominance in Lok Sabha Elections 2019 and Key Outcomes

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lok Sabha election?

How Lok Sabha members are elected?

Who Elect Speaker of Lok Sabha?

What was the result of 2019 Lok Sabha Elections?

When will be the next Indian General Elections held?

When is Lok Sabha Election 2024?

How MPs are elected in Lok Sabha?

How many Lok Sabha Sabha Seats are there?

What is the qualification of Lok Sabha members?

How does a Person become a Member of the Lok Sabha?

What is the Process to become a Member of the Lok Sabha?

Can an MLA Become an MP?

Who Elects an MP in India?

What is the Age Limit of Lok Sabha?

What is the minimum age for a Prime Minister?

Who was the first speaker of Lok Sabha?

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