India’s 2024 National Election
| Published date | 01 September 2024 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/20419058241282454 |
| Author | Rekha Diwakar |
| Date | 01 September 2024 |
18POLITICAL INSIGHT•SEPTEMBER 2024
The 18th Indian national election
was held in seven phases between
April-June 2024 to elect 543
members of Lok Sabha, the lower
house of the Parliament and the principal
legislative body at the national level. Elections
to Lok Sabha are normally held every ve
years based on single member plurality
electoral system (SMPS) and require elaborate
logistical arrangements by the Election
Commission of India (ECI). The 2024 election
was conducted at over one million polling
stations using 5.5 million EVMs (Electronic
Voting Machines) and involved an electorate
of nearly a billion. There were 744 parties
and 8,360 candidates, including 3,920
independents. Voter turnout stood at 65.8 per
cent making it the largest electoral exercise in
the world.
The Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP), which had been in power
since 2014, was seeking to win its third
consecutive term. Opposition parties, led
by Congress, the principal opposition party
at the national level, aimed to counter the
BJP through forming the Indian National
Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
Although many constituents of the
opposition alliance had competing political
interests, they came together to agree seat
sharing arrangements in many states with
the main objective of defeating the BJP.
The BJP campaigned predominantly
based on Prime Minister Modi’s track record
in delivering high economic growth and
welfare schemes, and raising India’s prole
at the global level, for example through its
presidency of the G20 in 2023. The party
also claimed credit for fullling its manifesto
promise of building the Ram temple in
Recent election results in India, which saw Prime Minister
Narendra Modi lose his parliamentary majority, indicate a move
towards a more balanced politics and comp etitive party system,
writes Rekha Diwakar.
Ayodhya (the birthplace of Hindu deity Lord
Ram), which was inaugurated by Modi a
few months before the election. The INDIA
alliance’s campaign focused on highlighting
high unemployment and rural distress, as
well as rising inequality, BJP’s anti-secular
orientation and democratic backsliding.
It also attacked the Modi government
for misusing government investigating
agencies to target and arrest some of the
prominent leaders of the opposition parties.
Although the BJP emerged as the largest
party by far in this election, it was not
able to secure a majority. Congress more
than doubled its tally of seats. The BJP-led
coalition government that was formed
is dependent on its allies to remain in
power, which is likely to lead to a more
accommodative style of functioning.
The rejuvenated opposition is expected
to provide more effective checks and
balances on the government. Overall, the
election results indicate a move towards
a more balanced politics and competitive
party system, which is a positive sign for a
healthy democracy.
India’s 2024
National Election
© Press Information Bureau / Alamy Stock Photo
Political Insight September 2024 BU.indd 18Political Insight September 2024 BU.indd 1821/08/2024 16:2321/08/2024 16:23
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