First Lok Sabha elections
AFTER Independence, general elections to the first Lok Sabha were held in India between 25 October, 1951 and 21 February, 1952.
While some voters in Himachal Pradesh voted in October before the winter set in and cut off their constituency from the rest of the country, the rest of the country began voting in phases from January of the following year.
About 1849 candidates and 53 political parties competed for the 489 seats of the Lok Sabha, 245 seats being needed for a majority. The voting age was 21.
More than 173 million people out of an overall population of about 360 million were eligible to vote, but it being the first time, the voter turnout was low — 45.7 per cent.
As illiteracy was high and most of the voters couldn’t read or write, colours and symbols were used to guide voters — at polling booths, each candidate was allotted a separate ballot box that was differently coloured from the others. His party’s symbol and his name were labelled on it. The voter had to simply insert the ballot paper given to him or her in the ballot box of his or her choice. Then, as now, indelible ink was applied to the voter’s finger to prevent impersonation.
The Indian National Congress (INC) led by Jawaharlal
Nehru won 364 seats. Only two other parties reached double figures in the number
of seats won — the Communist Party of India got 16 seats, and the Socialist Party,
12. Jawaharlal Nehru was elected Prime Minister. The first Lok Sabha was constituted
on 17 April, 1952 and served its full term of five years.
