New Delhi: General elections were held in India from 19 April to 1 June 2024 in seven phases, to elect all 543 members of the Lok Sabha. 2024 General Elections exemplified the strength of democratic processes and the importance of civic responsibility. India’s ability to conduct such an extensive electoral exercise successfully underscores its robust democratic institutions and the enduring spirit of its people. More than 968 million people out of a population of 1.4 billion people were eligible to vote, equivalent to 70 percent of the total population.642 million voters participated in the election and 312 million of them were women, making it the highest ever participation by women voters. This was the largest-ever election, surpassing the previous election, and lasted 44 days, second only to the 1951–52 Indian general election.
All 543 elected MPs are elected from single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post voting. For the first time, the Election Commission of India allowed voters with disabilities and those over the age of 85 to cast ballots from their homes due to concerns over high temperatures.
The counting of votes commenced on June 4, 2024, starting at 8 AM marking a pivotal moment in determining the country’s future leadership. The BJP won 240 seats in the election; several seats short of the 272 required to get a majority in India’s 543-member parliament. However, two key BJP allies, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), won 16 and 12 seats each in their respective states, pushing the NDA comfortably over the half-way mark. The I.N.D.I.A bloc has bagged 233 seats. Others have won 18 seats in the lower house of Parliament. The Congress secured 99 seats. Samajwadi Party got 37 seats while Trinamool Congress 29. DMK managed to win 22 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi won from Varanasi defeating Ajay Rai of Congress by a margin of more than 1 lakh 50 thousand votes. Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi was declared elected from Rae Bareli seat defeating BJP rival Dinesh Pratap Singh by a margin of over 3 lakh 90 thousand votes. For the first time, the Election Commission of India allowed voters with disabilities and those over the age of 85 to cast ballots from their homes due to concerns over high temperatures.
The just-concluded Lok Sabha election saw a total voter turnout of 65.79%, the Election Commission of India said. The final voter turnout in the 2019 election was 67.40 %.Lakshadweep recorded the highest voter turnout at 84% followed by Assam at 81%. The lowest turnout was recorded in Bihar at 56.19%. Uttar Pradesh (56.92%) and Mizoram (56.87%) were the other low turnout states.
PM-designate Narendra Modi took oath as Prime Minister of India for his third successive term on Sunday at an impressive ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan which is being attended by leaders from India’s neighbourhood and Indian Ocean region. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Narendra Modi, followed by other members of his team of ministers.
Several MPs, including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party’s National Democratic Alliance partners, also took oath as Union ministers. A first look at the Union Cabinet shows a conscious effort to cover all corners of the country as the ministers hail from as many as 24 states. The council has 30 cabinet-rank ministers, 33 ministers of state and five ministers of state with independent charge. A total of 11 ministers from the NDA alliance partners took oath of office and secrecy on Sunday. At least 43 ministers have served in the Parliament for at least 3 or more terms in their previous stints, bringing a wide range of experience with them. At least 34 ministers are said to have prior experience in the state legislatures with 23 of them having served as Ministers of States.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and Seychelles Vice President Ahmed Afif. The leaders of regional grouping SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries attended Modi’s first swearing ceremony when he took the reins as the prime minister after a massive electoral victory for BJP.Leaders of the BIMSTEC countries attended Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, in 2019 when he became Prime Minister for the second consecutive term.
Others who were invited to the ceremony were Padma awardees, prominent personalities from several fields, individuals mentioned in Modi’s monthly radio show Mann Ki Baat, the 12 rat-hole miners who played a crucial role in rescuing 41 workers trapped inside an Uttarakhand tunnel in November, labourers who helped construct the new Parliament building and the workers who built the Vande Bharat trains.
Apart from two terms as Prime Minister beginning 2014, Narendra Modi also has the distinction of being the longest-serving Chief Minister of Gujarat with his term spanning from October 2001 to May 2014.
PM Modi has laid thrust on the motto of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ and on “development-oriented and corruption-free governance”.PM Modi has worked with speed and scale and ensured last-mile delivery of schemes and services. His initiatives include Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Housing for All, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Man Dhan Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, UDAN, Make in India.
His previous two terms as Prime Minister have been marked by several key initiatives.PM Modi is known to have a powerful ‘personal connect’ with the people on the ground and is also known as India’s most techno-savvy leader, using the web to reach people and bring about change in their lives. He has also authored several books, including poetry.
The BJP won an absolute majority on its own in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls winning 282 and 303 seats respectively.PM Modi leads an NDA coalition with 292 seats in the Parliament and has laid thrust on making India a developed nation by 2047.
“NDA government 1, 2, and now 3… this is continuity. We will take the country forward with more vision and comprehensive to ensure our resolutions, our commitment towards good governance and attempt towards fulfilling the dreams of the common people,” he told the media in Rasthrapati Bhavan premises after staking claim to form the government.“ During this tenure of 10 years, India has emerged as a Vishwabandhu for the world. Its maximum advantage is starting now. And I am sure that the next 5 years are going to be very useful for India in the global environment as well. With a clear vision and strategic planning, Modi 3.0 pledges to guide the nation
Notably, this is a record-setting term for PM Modi as he is the only second Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to be elected for third term in office in a row.