When was the first election of the Lok Sabha held?
VerifiedAnswer: In the Year 1952
Explanation:
The first general election for the Lok Sabha was held in 1952, marking a historic milestone in India's journey as a democratic nation. This election was conducted over a period of several months, from October 1951 to February 1952, making it one of the longest electoral processes in Indian history.
This monumental election was significant because India had gained independence just five years earlier in 1947, and the country was ready to establish its first democratically elected government. The election was held under the guidance of the Election Commission of India, which had been established in 1950 under the leadership of Sukumar Sen, the first Chief Election Commissioner.
The 1952 election presented several unique challenges and characteristics:
• Around 173 million people were eligible to vote, making it one of the largest democratic exercises in the world at that time • The literacy rate was extremely low, with only about 18% of the population being literate • Special arrangements were made using symbols for different political parties to help illiterate voters identify their preferred candidates • The election covered 489 constituencies across the entire country
The Indian National Congress, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, emerged victorious in this historic election, winning 364 out of 489 seats in the Lok Sabha. This victory established Nehru as India's first democratically elected Prime Minister, a position he had been holding since independence as the interim leader.
The success of the 1952 election proved to the world that India, despite being a newly independent nation with diverse cultures, languages, and religions, could successfully conduct free and fair elections. This achievement laid the foundation for India's reputation as the world's largest democracy, a title it continues to hold today.
