One-third of Lok Sabha MPs elected with 30% or fewer votes in 2024: ECI
Nearly one-third of the Lok Sabha members elected in the 2024 General Elections secured their seats with 30% or fewer votes in their respective constituencies, according to an analysis of data released by the Election Commission of India. This marks a significant rise compared to the 125 MPs elected with similar vote shares in 2019. Out of the 542 Lok Sabha members, 178 fall into this category.
Party-Wise Breakdown
Among political parties, 57 of the BJP’s 240 MPs, 30 of Congress’ 99 MPs, and 31 of the Samajwadi Party’s 37 MPs won with 30% or fewer votes. This highlights the fragmented nature of voter support in many constituencies.
Voter Share Analysis
A closer look at the data reveals a diverse range of vote shares among winning candidates. Eight MPs were elected with just 10-20% of the votes, while 170 secured their positions with 20-30% of the votes. The majority, 266 MPs, won with vote shares between 30-40%, and 92 MPs garnered 40-50%. Interestingly, only six MPs managed to secure over 50% of the votes in their constituencies.
Geographically, Uttar Pradesh led the count with 65 MPs winning on 30% or fewer votes, followed by Bihar (30) and Maharashtra (24).
Vote Percentage Breakdown for Winning Candidates
- 10-20% Votes: 8 MPs
- 20-30% Votes: 170 MPs
- 30-40% Votes: 266 MPs
- 40-50% Votes: 92 MPs
- 50-60% Votes: 215 MPs
- 60-70% Votes: 57 MPs
- Above 70% Votes: 7 MPs
National Parties' Vote Share
Six major national parties—AAP, BSP, SP, BJP, CPI(M), and Congress—secured a combined 63.35% of the total valid votes in the 2024 elections. The BJP garnered the largest share with 23.59 crore votes, followed by Congress with 13.67 crore votes and the SP with 2.95 crore votes.
Security Deposit Losses
A record 7,190 candidates forfeited their security deposits in the 2024 polls, an increase from 6,923 in 2019. Among 3,921 independent candidates, only seven managed to win, while the rest lost their deposits.
The data underscores the increasing competition and fractured mandate across constituencies, with many MPs winning with low vote shares.
