Twenty Nine Winners Got Less Than 30% of Total Votes Polled in 2009 General Elections

      In 2009 Lok Sabha Elections, there were twenty nine winning candidates who got less than 30% of votes polled. State wise, Uttar Pradesh had 14 such winners whereas Jharkhand had 6 candidates winning with less than 30% of votes polled in their respective constituencies. Bihar had five such winners. Other states with successful candidates getting less than 30% votes include Madhya Pradesh (2), Jammu and Kashmir (1) and Haryana (1).

 RJD won Buxar Lok Sabha seat in Bihar getting 21.27% of total votes polled for its candidate, which was the lowest percentage of votes bagged by any winner. Nawada, another Lok Sabha seat from Bihar had the winner getting 22.46% of votes polled. Moving to the neighbouring state Jharkhand, Chatra had winning candidate with 22.86% votes, Godda with 23.76% votes and Kodarma with 25.55% votes.

Uttar Pradesh had 14 successful candidates with less than 30% votes. Winner of Gonda seat got 25.72% of total votes polled, which was the lowest percentage for the State.

Tabular data of 29 winners with less than 30% votes is as follows:-

State	Lok Sabha Seat	%age of total votes polled	State	Lok Sabha Seat	%age of total votes polled
Uttar Pradesh	Aligarh	27.95	Uttar Pradesh	Gonda	25.72
	Kheri	26.13		Sant Kabir Nagar	26.35
	Pratapgarh	26.39		Ghosi	28.82
	Farrukhabad	27.72		Salempur	27.54
	Jhansi	29.32		Chandauli	26.85
	Hamirpur	27.45		Bhadohi	29.73
	Faizabad	28.24		Mirzapur	29.87
Jharkhand	Rajmahal	26.12	Jharkhand	Kodarma	25.55
	Godda	23.76		Lohardaga	27.6
	Chatra	22.86		Palamau	25.80
Bihar	Madhubani	29.48	Madhy Pradesh	Satna	29.51
	Begusarai	28.64		Rewa	28.49
	Banka	28.48	J & K	Ladakh	29.84
	Buxar	21.27	Haryana	Hisar	29.99
	Nawada	22.46

Contestants crossed twenty five per seat in 1996 General Elections from about four in 1952 Elections

A close look on the average number of contestants per seat for the successive Lok Sabha elections brings out some interesting facts. For instance, on an average, there used to be only around three to five contestants per Lok Sabha seats till as late as sixth Lok Sabha elections in 1977. For the first Lok Sabha in 1952, there were 1874 candidates for 489 seats averaging 4.67* contestants per seat while in 1957 number of contestants for 494 seats was 1519, averaging 3.77* per seat. In 1962 there were 1985 candidates for 494 seats averaging 4.02 per seat. In 1967, the number of Lok Sabha seats significantly increased to 520 for which 2369 contestants were in fray thus averaging 4.56 candidates per seat.

In 1971, elections were held for 518 seats for which a slightly higher number of 2784 candidates were in fray, averaging 5.37 contestants per seat but in 1977 with another significant hike in the number of Lok Sabha seats to 542, the number of contestants per seat came down again to 4.50 per seats as there were only 2349 candidates were in fray for 542 seats.

However, this trend (of having 3 to 5 candidates per seat) witnessed a big shift in 1980 when the elections for the seventh Lok Sabha were held. There were 4629 candidates wooing the voters for 542 seats, thus averaging 8.75 contestants for each Lok Sabha seat.

With constant increase in the number of contestants in the successive Lok Sabha elections, the average of per seat contestants also continued to rise gradually but in 1996, a sudden hike in average with 25.69 candidates per seat indicated an abnormal shift. There were a record number of 13,952 candidates in fray for 543 Lok Sabha seats, bringing the average of per seat contestants to 25.69 from 16.38 in the previous elections in 1991.

The Election Commission of India hiked the amount of the security deposit from a merely Rs.500 to Rs.10, 000 which apparently, helped in bringing down the number of contestants per seat to 8.75 candidates in 1998 Lok Sabha elections when after a long gap, the total number of contestants was less than 5000 (4750 to be precise) which only rose marginally in 1999 general elections to 4648 candidates, averaging 8.56 candidates per seat. In 2004, the figure of contestants again crossed 5000 mark with 5435 contestants in fray for the same number of 543 Lok Sabha seats, averaging just over 10 contestants per seat.

In 2009 General Elections total 8070 candidates contested for 543 Lok Sabha seats, thus the average rose sharply to 14.86.

The following graph brings out the average number of contestants per seat beginning from 1952 general elections.

Voter turnout in General Elections 2009: Lowest in J&K and Highest in Nagaland

General Elections 2009 witnessed voter turnout above 58 percent.  Voters wise big States like UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, MP, Gujarat had turnout well below the national average of 58.19 %.  The biggest state, UP had a voter turnout of 47.78%, more than 10 percentage points lower while Bihar had just 44.46 %. Lowest voter turnout, 39.68%, was registered in J&K. Gujarat with 47.9% and Rajasthan with 48.4% voter turnout were amid top five states with lowest voter turnout. Maharashtra, Jharkhand and MP also had voter turnout lower than the national average, with 50.71%, 50.98% and 51.16 % respectively.

On the other hand, North Eastern states had very good voter turnout except Mizoram (51.8%). Nagaland had highest turnout of 89.99% followed by Tripura (84.45%) and Sikkim (83.76%). West Bengal also had very good turnout of 81.4%. Southern states had an impressive voter turnout with Kerala at73.36%, Tamil Nadu at 73.03% and Andhra Pradesh at 72.63 %. Karnataka was just above the national average with 58.81%.

Among Union Territories, only Delhi had a voter turnout lower than the national average with 51.85% voters casting their votes in the national capital. Lakshadweep with 85.9% voter turnout was first amongst UTs and second overall.

 Statewise voter turnout out in percentage is as follows:-

STATE	voting percentage
Andhra Pradesh	72.63
Arunachal Pradesh	68.16
Assam	69.53
Bihar	44.46
Chhattisgarh	55.28
Goa	55.28
Gujarat	47.9
Haryana	67.49
Himachal Pradesh	58.41
Jammu and Kashmir	39.68
Jharkhand	50.98
Karnataka	58.81
Kerala	73.36
Madhya Pradesh	51.16
Maharashtra	50.71
Manipur	77.14
Meghalaya	64.38
Mizoram	51.8
Nagaland	89.99
Odisha	65.33
Punjab	69.77
Rajasthan	48.4
Sikkim	83.76
Tamil Nadu	73.03
Tripura	84.45
Uttarakhand	53.34
Uttar Pradesh	47.78
West Bengal	81.4
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	64.16
Chandigarh	65.51
Dadra and Nagar Haveli	73.23
Delhi	51.85
Daman and Diu	71.32
Lakshadweep	85.9
Puducherry	79.81
TOTAL	58.19

Democratic Colors Of United India

 363 Political Parties Participated In 2009 Elections 

If we ask you to hazard a guess as to how many political parties participated in the Lok Sabha elections of 2009, there is a big probability of your answer going well off the mark. As many as 363 political parties participated in the Yajna of democracy contesting 543 Lok Sabha seats in 2009 elections. Out of these 363, only seven were recognized as ‘National Parties’ by the Election Commission of India. These seven parties were (in alphabetical order): Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) – CPM, Indian National Congress (INC), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).From the remaining 356 parties, 34 parties were recognized as State parties and the remaining 322 were registered but unrecognized political parties.

        The following graph brings out the number of national parties, state parties and registered parties (un-recognized) participated in general elections since 1952.

ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA

The five year term of the 15thLok Sabha is due to expire on 31st May, 2014. Credible elections, conducted at regular prescribed intervals, are the very soul of any democratic system. Article 324 of the Constitution of India bestows the relevant powers, duties and functions upon the Election Commission of India while
Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides for conduct of the elections to constitute a new Lok Sabha before the expiry of its current term. Taking into account these Constitutional and legal provisions, the Election Commission of India has made comprehensive preparations for conduct of elections to the 16th Lok Sabha in a free, fair and peaceful manner.

The General Election to the House of People, 2014 to constitute the 16th Lok Sabha shall be held on the basis of the extent of PCs as per “Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008”. The General Election to the House of People, 2009 was also held on the basis of the said PCs. Therefore, there is no change in the extent and status of PCs after 2009 General Election. Further, the total number of PCs allotted to various States and UTs, including SC/ ST seats continues to be the same. Similarly, General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim shall be held on the basis of the extent of Assembly Constituencies (ACs) as per 2008 Delimitation Order, as mentioned above. The total number of ACs allotted to these States including SC/ ST seats shall continue to be the same. 

PHOTO ELECTORAL ROLLS AND ELECTOR PHOTO IDENTITY CARDS
(EPIC)
13. The country had gone to polls with Photo Electoral Rolls for the first time in 2009. In that year the State of Assam, Jammu & Kashmir and Nagaland did not have Photo Electoral Rolls (PERs), and Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) were not distributed to electors in Assam and Nagaland. Now all States and UTs have PERs Rolls. Photographs of 98.64% electors are already printed in the electoral rolls. 95.64% electors have been given EPIC. The percentage of electors with EPIC and photographs in electoral rolls is likely to increase further before the elections. 17 States and UTs, viz. Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Goa, Daman &
Diu, NCT of Delhi, Lakshadweep, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Kerala have photographs of 100% electors in the electoral rolls. 16 States and UTs have 100% EPIC coverage. These are - Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, NCT of Delhi, Laskhadweep, Puducherry,
Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Kerala. Remaining electors are advised to submit their
photographs to obtain their EPIC from the concerned Electoral Registration Officer
(ERO) urgently. CEOs have been directed to maximize photo and EPIC coverage
in the electoral rolls before the elections.

Click here to See Schedule:

Schedule Reference :ANDHRA PRADESH

Schedule no: 7 

No of PCs going to poll 17
Issue of Notification: 02 Apr 14 (Wed)
Last Date for filing Nominations: 09 Apr 14 (Wed)
Scrutiny of Nominations: 10 Apr 14 (Thu)
Last date for withdrawal of Candidature: 12 Apr 14 (Sat)
Date of Poll 30 Apr 14 (Wed)
Counting of Votes: 16 May 14 (Fri)
Date before which the election shall be 28 May 14 (Wed)
Completed

Schedule no: 8 

No of PCs going to poll 25
Issue of Notification: 12 Apr 14 (Sat)
Last Date for filing Nominations: 19 Apr 14 (Sat)
Scrutiny of Nominations: 21 Apr 14 ( Mon)
Last date for withdrawal of Candidature: 23 Apr 14 (Wed)
Date of Poll 07 May 14 (Wed)
Counting of Votes: 16 May 14 (Fri)
Date before which the election shall be 28 May 14 (Wed)
Completed

GENERAL ELECTIONS - 2014: ANDHRA PRADESH

ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA

 STATE AND UT WISE PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES LIST IN DIFFERENT SCHEDULES

Parliamentary Constituencies

 1 Adilabad ST
2 Peddapalle SC
3 Karimnagar GEN
 4 Nizamabad GEN
5 Zahirabad GEN
6 Medak GEN
7 Malkajgiri GEN
8 Secunderabad GEN
9 Hyderabad GEN
 10 Chevella GEN
 11 Mahbubnagar GEN
  12 Nagarkurnool SC
13 Nalgonda GEN
 14 Bhongir GEN
 15 Warangal SC
 16 Mahabubabad ST
 17 Khammam GEN
18 Araku ST
19 Srikakulam GEN
 20 Vizianagaram GEN
 21 Visakhapatnam GEN
 22 Anakapalle GEN
 23 Kakinada GEN
 24 Amalapuram SC
25 Rajahmundry GEN
26 Narsapuram GEN
27 Eluru GEN
 28 Machilipatnam GEN
 29 Vijayawada GEN
30 Guntur GEN
 31 Narasaraopet GEN
 32 Bapatla SC
 33 Ongole GEN
34 Nandyal GEN
 35 Kurnool GEN
36 Anantapur GEN
 37 Hindupur GEN
 38 Kadapa GEN
 39 Nellore GEN
 40 Tirupati SC
  41 Rajampet GEN
 42 Chittoor SC