The verdict of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is out and the saffron party-BJP is yet again able to secure a thumping majority with 303 seats to form a government at the centre. The NDA tally stands at 354, 18 more than they had in the 16th Lok Sabha elections. Let’s have a look at some significant facts about the 17th Lok Sabha elections:-
Highest women representatives in Lok Sabha since Independence
Out of 542 elected representatives which are going to take oath a few days later, 78 are women, according to DNA. A total of 724 women candidates were fielded by political parties in this Lok Sabha election. The highest from the Congress party-54 which was closely followed by BJP-53. The representation of the women has steadily increased from 5 per cent in the 1st Lok Sabha polls to 14% in the 17th Lok Sabha polls. The state of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have sent the highest number of women representatives-11 each to the parliament.
Among the prominent women personalities who stole the show is Smriti Irani, who defeated the Congress dynast Rahul Gandhi from the seat of Amethi. In Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, Sadhvi Pragya of the BJP comfortably trounced Congress representative Digvijaya Singh.
Muslim representatives increase to 27
From 23 Muslim representatives in 16th Lok Sabha elections, this year 27 Muslims will be sworn-in as the Member of Parliament. Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the state with sizeable Muslim population have 6 candidates each, Kerala and Jammu & Kashmir have 3 candidates each while Bihar and Assam will send 2 each. There is one MP each from Lakshwadeep, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
300 first-time MPs
In addition to this, there will be 300 first-time MPs in the Lok Sabha. From the outgoing Lok Sabha, 197 were re-elected and 45 have been members of earlier Lok Sabhas. There’s also a rise in the graduates being sent to the lower house of the parliament. Out of the 542 elected representatives, 394 have at least Graduate level education. In the 17th Lok Sabha, 27 per cent of the MPs has studied till the 12th grade.
12 per cent MPs below the age of 40
The participation of young politicians in the democratic process of elections has also increased as the current election saw 12% MPs below the age of 40, higher than the 16th Lok Sabha elections which had 8% MPs below the age of 40.