India Shatters World Record in Voter Participation in 2024 Lok Sabha Elections
New Delhi: India has made history by breaking a world record with an unprecedented participation of over 64.2 crore voters during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, including 31.2 crore women who cast their ballots. The landmark achievement is expected to redefine electoral narratives and usher in a new era of voter engagement.
The year also marked a significant milestone in electoral reform as the government introduced the One Nation One Election Bill, paving the way for simultaneous elections to the lower House and state assemblies. The bill aims to bring electoral reforms by ensuring free and fair contests across all stages of democratic processes.
The nationwide polls, spread over 44 days, had the second-longest voting period after the first parliamentary elections in 1951-52 that lasted for over four months. Conversely, the shortest voting period was recorded in 1980 with just a four-day polling period. The total duration of the electoral process, ranging from schedule announcement to vote counting, spanned an impressive 82 days.
In March 2024, amid anticipation, the Election Commission announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls following the release of a high-level committee report. Earlier, former President Ram Nath Kovind-led panel had proposed simultaneous elections across all levels for phased implementation. However, the Union Cabinet opted to start with concurrent elections for both Lok Sabha and state assemblies as its initial step.
On December 17, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill in Parliament, initiating discussions and votes that laid the groundwork for this historic reform push by the Bharatiya Janata Party. The passage of the amendment bill has remained elusive thus far despite its necessity for a two-thirds majority. Consequently, it has been forwarded to a joint committee of both houses for thorough review.
Throughout the election period, significant challenges were faced due to weather conditions in states where polling was conducted during peak summers. Unfortunately, nearly 50 poll officials perished from heat-related issues.
The Election Commission issued stern warnings against spread of misinformation and fake narratives regarding voter turnout data. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar addressed allegations targeting electoral authority by emphasizing the need for unbiased processes.
Meanwhile, social media platforms witnessed several viral memes criticizing the government over alleged malpractices in the election process.