Lok Sabha Elections: A Factual Walkthrough.
Every 5 years, the people of India exercise their right to vote given to them by the country’s constitution. Elections in India are a well celebrated and auspicious affair. This gala of equality brings the entire country onto its feet as the people step out to vote. As the World’s largest democracy gears up for its biggest festival, here are some facts that’ll have you up to date with the Lok Sabha Elections
1. Bigger than you can imagine: Everything about Indian general elections is colossal. This time, about 900 million people above the age of 18 are eligible to cast their ballots.
2. It takes a really long time: The 2019 elections began from 11 April and ends on 23rd May. India’s historic first election in 1951-52 took three months to complete. Between 1962 and 1989, elections were completed in four to 10 days. The four-day elections in 1980 were the country’s shortest ever.
3. It costs more than you think: India’s Centre for Media Studies estimated parties and candidates spent some ₹346 Crores for the 2014 elections.
4. Gender Stats: Indian women are voting in large numbers. The vote gender gap has already shrunk in 2014. The turnout of women was 65.3% against 67.1% for men. 2/3 of the states saw more women turning up to vote than men. 8% of parliamentary candidates are women.
5. At 15,256 ft., the world’s highest polling station is in India. Tashigang in Himachal Pradesh is the highest polling station in the world and falls in Buddhist-dominated Lahaul-Spiti region.
6. Equality Prevails: India was one of the first countries to grant equal voting rights to both men and women on its independence from the British Empire in 1947.
7. The unknown sacrifice: 11 million government employees have been deployed to overlook 1 million polling stations across the country encasing 3.9 million EVMs.
8. The future of India: 2,293 political parties are contesting in 2019 which have 8000 candidates running for them.
9. The teenage story: Out of all new voters, around 15 million are in the age group of 18-19 years, in General Elections 2019
As we enter the last few phases of Indian General Elections, 2019, we hope that each one of you has performed your constitutional duty of casting vote. Elections creates a celebratory atmosphere which enables every citizen of our nation, no matter which caste, class, or place he belongs to. Indian elections is a system which does not discriminate a person basis their social or political background. One person, one vote, one value - this clearly denotes equal rights and no one can be denied of this right.
- Written by Aamir Ansari