India, the country with the largest population in the world, is bustling with over 1.4 billion people in an area only one-third the size of the United States. Among this population, 969 million are registered voters, eager to participate in the world’s largest democratic exercise—the Indian Election of 2024. This means that a remarkable 11.94% of the global population has been engaged in this electoral process since April 19, 2024.
This massive voting process spans seven phases across 28 states and 8 union territories of India, stretching over 44 days. With over a million polling stations, each accommodating up to 1,500 voters, the election extends from the Himalayas to jungles and deserts. More than 300,000 federal personnel assist state police forces to ensure a safe and fair election.
What is the Cost of Indian Lok Sabha Elections
The 2024 election has a staggering budget of 1.2 trillion rupees, or $14 billion, almost double the cost of the 2019 election. The election results will have significant global ramifications, especially for key partners like the UK, the US, and France, as India serves as a crucial counterbalance to China.
So, let’s delve deeper to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Indian voting landscape for this year.
Watch this Video: Indian Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Explained
India: an Overview
Located in Southern Asia, India is a land of diversity and rich history, bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west and the Bay of Bengal to the east. It shares land borders with seven countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan to the northwest; China, Bhutan, and Nepal to the north; and Myanmar and Bangladesh to the east. Additionally, it shares maritime borders with Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
India’s land frontier stretches over 15,200 km, and its coastline, including the mainland and island territories of Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, extends to 7,516.6 km.
Indian Lok Sabha Elections: Biggest Democratic Election Excercise in the World
Amidst this diverse geographical and geopolitical landscape lie 28 states and 8 union territories, all set to cast their votes across seven phases. Speaking of the political landscape of India, over 2,600 political parties are competing for power.
At the heart of this democratic process is the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s Parliament, consisting of 543 seats. The Lok Sabha, or House of the People, is somewhat similar to the British House of Commons. Here, elected representatives from various regions assemble to debate, propose, and pass laws vital for the country’s governance and democracy.
However, not all states hold the same weight in these elections. Each state is allotted seats in the Lok Sabha based on its population, aiming for a uniform ratio across states. This rule does not apply to states with a population of less than 6 million. For example, Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, has as many residents as Pakistan and leads with 80 seats.
India, the country with the largest population in the world, is bustling with over 1.4 billion people in an area only one-third the size of the United States. Among this population, 969 million are registered voters, eager to participate in the world’s largest democratic exercise—the Indian Election of 2024. This means that a remarkable 11.94% of the global population has been engaged in this electoral process since April 19, 2024.
This massive voting process spans seven phases across 28 states and 8 union territories of India, stretching over 44 days. With over a million polling stations, each accommodating up to 1,500 voters, the election extends from the Himalayas to jungles and deserts. More than 300,000 federal personnel assist state police forces to ensure a safe and fair election.
And the cost? The 2024 election has a staggering budget of 1.2 trillion rupees, or $14 billion, almost double the cost of the 2019 election. The election results will have significant global ramifications, especially for key partners like the UK, the US, and France, as India serves as a crucial counterbalance to China.
So, let’s delve deeper to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Indian voting landscape for this year.
Located in Southern Asia, India is a land of diversity and rich history, bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west and the Bay of Bengal to the east. It shares land borders with seven countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan to the northwest; China, Bhutan, and Nepal to the north; and Myanmar and Bangladesh to the east. Additionally, it shares maritime borders with Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
India’s land frontier stretches over 15,200 km, and its coastline, including the mainland and island territories of Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, extends to 7,516.6 km.
Amidst this diverse geographical and geopolitical landscape lie 28 states and 8 union territories, all set to cast their votes across seven phases. Speaking of the political landscape of India, over 2,600 political parties are competing for power.
At the heart of this democratic process is the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s Parliament, consisting of 543 seats. The Lok Sabha, or House of the People, is somewhat similar to the British House of Commons. Here, elected representatives from various regions assemble to debate, propose, and pass laws vital for the country’s governance and democracy.
However, not all states hold the same weight in these elections.
State-Wise Seat Allocation for 2024 Lok Sabha Elections
Each state is allotted seats in the Lok Sabha based on its population, aiming for a uniform ratio across states. This rule does not apply to states with a population of less than 6 million. For example, Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, has as many residents as Pakistan and leads with 80 seats.
As it stands today, out of a total of 543 parliamentary seats, the distribution across various regions is as follows:
In the northern Indian states, the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir holds 5 seats, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand with 4 and 5 seats, respectively.
As we discussed earlier, Uttar Pradesh has a whopping 80 seats, more than any other state in India, making it one of the most important states in terms of numbers. In previous elections, the National Democratic Alliance, led by current Prime Minister Modi, secured a significant portion of UP’s 80 seats.
Punjab has the second most seats among the northern states with 13, followed by Haryana with 10. The National Capital Territory of Delhi holds 7 seats.
Moving to the Northeast, except for Assam, which holds 14 seats, the other northeastern states have fewer than 2 seats each.
In the central and western regions, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh each have just under 30 seats, except for Maharashtra, which claims 48 seats. Goa has only 2 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Moving to the southern states, Tamil Nadu boasts the highest number of seats with 39, while the remaining states in the region have seat counts ranging from 17 to 28: Karnataka with 28, Andhra Pradesh with 25, Kerala with 20, and Telangana with 17.
In the eastern Indian states, West Bengal has the maximum share of seats with 42, followed by Bihar with 40. Odisha has 21, Jharkhand 14, and Chhattisgarh 11.
You might wonder why Bihar, the second most populous state, has only 40 seats, less than Maharashtra with 48 and West Bengal with 42, which are not as populated as Bihar.
The number of parliamentary seats for each state is based on the 1971 census. Since then, some states have experienced faster population growth, while others have successfully implemented family planning.
Most Union Territories have one constituency regardless of their population. These seat allocations will remain unchanged until the 2026 delimitation exercise. In 2026, the number of Lok Sabha seats is expected to increase significantly from 543 to 753, but that’s a topic for another day.
The southern states generally outshine the north in terms of development, economic growth, and social justice. While there isn’t an official North-South divide in India, the Vindhya mountain range is often seen as an unofficial boundary.
The southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana alone contribute 31% of the country’s GDP, attract over one-third of foreign investments, and host two-thirds of the service industry.
However, these states only account for 130 seats in Parliament, compared to 149 seats in just three northern states: Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
On the other hand, in the northern reaches of India, you’ll find a vast expanse where farming is a way of life for many. Uttar Pradesh takes the crown as the largest farming state, boasting the most seats up for grabs in the political arena.
The share of agriculture in India’s GDP declined from 35% in 1990-91 to 15% in 2023, but no political party would want to be on bad terms with farmers. About 65% of the people in India are engaged in agriculture and allied activities.
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab are the top food grains-producing states in India, contributing 18.89%, 10.36%, and 9.65% respectively as of 2020-21. Together, they account for about 39% of the country’s total food grain production.
But truth be told, many farmers work on small plots of land, making it tough to make ends meet, especially with the changing climate.
Let’s rewind to 2020—farmers from across India descended on Delhi to protest three laws introduced by the BJP government. For 13 months, they held their ground until Modi finally withdrew the controversial laws.
There’s no doubt that farmers are a major force in India.
So, the key to winning the elections lies in capturing votes in the northern states, where the BJP has strongholds, as they offer more seats in the Lok Sabha.
Who is fighting?
This year, the scenario is unique in the context of Indian elections. Two major groups are contesting the elections.
One is the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), known for its right-wing ideas under the leadership of Narendra Modi, who has been the Prime Minister of India since 2014.
Opposing them is a new coalition called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), led by the Indian National Congress (INC). The INDIA alliance comprises 37 different parties, including the INC, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), CPIM, and others.
It goes without saying that the ideologies of some of these parties do not align, but they have come together under one umbrella, with INC president Mallikarjun Kharge as the leader, with the primary goal of defeating the BJP in the 2024 elections. They have decided to work as a team, share seats, hold rallies on important topics, and coordinate their media messages under the slogan “INDIA Unites, INDIA Wins.
Voting in Remote Places and RVMs
the Lok Sabha elections in India are so important for Indians and democracy as a whole—this is a golden opportunity for you and billions of Indians, both residents of cities and remote areas, to decide how the country will be run and by whom.
Speaking of voting in remote places, did you know that the remotest and highest polling booth in India is located at 15,256 feet in the Himalayas? This place is called Tashigang, which is in Himachal Pradesh.
However, escorting all the EVM machines and arranging polling booths in such remote places is another challenging aspect of Indian elections.
To transport numerous EVM machines, Indian officials use helicopters, buses, trucks, boats, and even donkeys and mules for the national elections.
In some places like the Kottur hills in Tamil Nadu, donkeys were used to carry the voting machines. In West Bengal, porters were hired because mules were banned in some areas.
India switched from paper ballots to electronic voting machines more than 20 years ago. These machines include a ballot unit, a control unit, and a paper trail unit (VVPAT) to ensure transparency.
Opposition parties advocate for a return to paper ballots, claiming that electronic voting machines can be tampered with. They have even taken this issue to the Supreme Court, but their efforts have not succeeded.
For people living in remote places or for those who don’t live in their hometown due to work, voting becomes a serious problem.
According to the 2011 census, 45.36 crore Indians, or 37% of the population, had moved to different parts of the country. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, 67.4% of eligible voters could vote, but nearly 30 crore people did not vote, mainly because they couldn’t return to their home areas to cast their ballots.
To address this problem, the Election Commission of India has recently suggested a new way for people who have moved to different parts of the country to vote. With this new system, called Remote Electronic Voting Machines (RVMs), people won’t need to travel back to their home state or district to vote.
Instead, they can vote from where they currently live. On January 16, 2023, the Election Commission first showed political parties a prototype of these RVMs. The Commission stated that these machines can handle voting for up to 72 different areas from a single remote location.
All these processes are precisely managed by the Election Commission of India (ECI), which ensures everything runs smoothly, from voter registration to announcing the election results.
Recently, however, there has been some controversy because Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team introduced a new rule that allows a government minister to have a say in selecting the Election Commissioner. The opposition opposes this change, arguing that it gives too much power to the ruling party.
When it’s time for Lok Sabha elections, the ECI considers factors such as the weather, school exams, and festivals to decide the best dates. Once the dates are set, they implement the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which ensures that everyone plays fair during the elections.
Seven Phases of Indian Lok Sabha Elections
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are being conducted in seven phases, with the counting of votes on June 4.
| India kicked off its mammoth election spectacle, with diverse regions like Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, bustling Delhi, and scenic Goa witnessing eager voters queuing up, alongside states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. |
| Some states opted for second-phase voting, such as Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tripura, and Manipur. |
| Chhattisgarh and Assam adopted a three-phase voting strategy, ensuring ample opportunities for participation. |
| Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand spread their voting across four phases from April to June. |
| Whereas, Maharashtra and Jammu & Kashmir adopted a five-phase plan from April 19 to May 20. |
| Most likely, Phase Six voting will have been completed by the time you watch this video. |
| Lastly, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal opted for a seven-phase voting marathon across April, May, and June, ensuring maximum participation and fairness in these politically crucial states, which ends on June |
June 4 is the big day for India this year. The Returning Officer (RO), chosen by the Election Commission of India (ECI), oversees the counting. The RO selects the counting location according to ECI rules, whether in a busy city or a peaceful countryside.
Under the RO’s supervision, the team opens the ballot boxes and counts the votes. First, they check the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballots (ETPB) and Postal Ballots (PB). Then, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are turned on.
A special part is checking the VVPAT slips (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) in the VVPAT Counting Booth. The RO or Assistant RO checks VVPAT slips from five randomly picked polling stations against the EVM results before declaring the final result, as ordered by the Supreme Court.
Candidates, along with their counting and election agents, are present during this process.
Have you voted yet? What’s your experience, and who do you think will win?