First General Election 1951-52 | 13 Apr 2024

Source: IE

Why in News?

As India gears up for the 2024 general election, the historic importance of the country's first Lok Sabha election in 1951-52 is gaining attention. This inaugural election was a pivotal moment in India's democratic evolution.

What are the Key Facts About India's First General Elections?

• Historic Vote:
  • Independent India’s first general elections were held between 25^th October 1951 and 21^st February 1952. It was a humongous exercise in which a sixth of the world’s population was going to vote, making it the largest election conducted in the world at the time.
    • Ultimately, 17.32 crore voters from across the country (excluding Jammu and Kashmir) were enrolled, and 45% were women.
  • This was the first time such a massive exercise of universal adult franchise was undertaken, with 176 million electors above the age of 21(the voting age was brought to 18 only in 1989, the Constitution (Sixty-first Amendment) Act, 1989), of whom 82% were unlettered.
• Legal Framework:
  • The Parliament enacted the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951 laying down the groundwork for voter qualifications, election machinery, and other electoral processes.
  • The Election Commission of India (ECI) was set up in January, 1950, with Sukumar Sen as the Chief Election Commissioner.
• Election Machinery:
  • Coloured ballot boxes and ballot papers the size of a Re 1 currency note were used to aid the largely illiterate electorate.
    • In 1951, India's low literacy rate of 18.33% led to the idea of using different coloured ballot boxes for each candidate, but this was deemed impractical. Instead, it was decided to use separate ballot boxes for each candidate at all booths, with the candidate's election symbol on it.
    • The ballot papers pink in color, with "Election Commission India" and a serial number with two letters denoting the state - HY for Hyderabad State, BR for Bihar, AS for Assam, etc.
• Political Landscape and Party Participation:
  • There were 53 political parties, of which 14 were ‌national. These included the Indian National Congress, the Communist Party of India, the Socialist Party, the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party, and Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, among others.
• Election Outcome:
  • The Indian National Congress, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, emerged as the dominant political force, securing 318 out of 489 Lok Sabha seats, consolidating its position as the ruling party.
    • The Communist Party of India (CPI) emerged as the runner-up in the first Lok Sabha election, followed by the Socialist Party and other political parties.