Indian National Congress won how many seats in the 2014 Lok-Sabha elections ?

Correct option is D

The correct answer is (d) 44. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Congress (INC) won a significantly reduced number of seats, securing only 44 out of the 543 total seats in the Lok Sabha. This was a dramatic decline from their previous tally of 206 seats in the 2009 elections. The 2014 elections were marked by a massive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won 282 seats, and the Congress suffered its worst-ever performance in the history of Indian general elections.

Information Booster :

The Lok Sabha elections are held in India to elect members of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament. These elections are conducted every five years, unless there is an early dissolution of the house. The Lok Sabha consists of 545 members, out of which 543 are directly elected by the people of India through a system of first-past-the-post voting in their respective constituencies, while the remaining 2 members are nominated by the President from the Anglo-Indian community (although the provision for the nomination of Anglo-Indians was removed by the 104th Constitutional Amendment in 2019).

Key Features of the Lok Sabha Elections:

1. Universal Suffrage: All Indian citizens above the age of 18 are eligible to vote.

2. Multi-phase Election: The elections are often conducted in multiple phases across different states due to the size of the country and logistical reasons.

3. Political Parties & Alliances: Major political parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), and regional parties contest these elections. Coalitions or alliances are often formed, especially when no single party wins an outright majority.

4. Majority Requirement: To form the government, a party or alliance needs to secure a majority of the total seats, i.e., at least 272 seats.