Chamber:
	Lok Sabha
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	20 May 1991 12 June 1991 15 June 1991
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for 511 seats in the Lok Sabha following premature dissolution of this body on 13 March 1991. General elections had previously been held in November 1989. Polling was postponed in three of India’s States for security reasons.
Background and outcome of elections:
	The Lok Sabha was prematurely dissolved by President of Republic R. Venkataraman following various governmental crises. In November 1990, the 11-month-old National Front coalition Government of Prime Minister V.P. Singh lost a parliamentary vote of confidence and Mr. C. Shekhar of the Jamata Dal (Socialist) party was sworn in to lead another minority Government. On 6 March 1991, he in turn resigned after differences with the Congress (I) party of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, paving the way for dissolution of the legislature one week later. The polling dates were then set on 12 April. Three main political forces confronted each other: the centrist Congress (I), the right-wing Bharatiya Jamata Party (BJP) and the left-wing National Front, a coalition including Jamata Dal (S) and two communist parties. Congress (I), led by M. Gandhi, billed itself as the only group capable of bringing unity and stability to India, particularly by ending sectarian violence and bringing under control the country’s ailing economy (marked especially by inflation, fiscal deficit and foreign debt) through progressive liberalization - a departure from the party’s original orientation to socialism. The ultra nationalist BJP, led by Mr. L.K. Advani, drew inspiration from Hindu political and religious tradition, and advocated a deregulated economy based on self-reliance. The National Front, still led by Mr. V.P. Singh, championed the cause of the downtrodden, calling for a social revolution to break the barriers of caste. Altogether more than 9,000 candidates participated in the four-week campaign, which was peppered by violence. After the first polling day (20 May), at which 211 of the seats were filled, Mr. Gandhi was assassinated while campaigning near Madras. The remaining election days were consequently postponed until mid-June. Final results produced no absolute majority although there was a clear swing to the right and Congress (I) once again emerged with the largest number of seats. In percentage terms, voter turnout (approximately 53%) was the lowest ever in parliamentary elections. On 21 June, Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao of Congress (I) was sworn in as Prime Minister as head of a minority Government; the new Cabinet took oath the same day.

STATISTICS

Round no 1: Elections results
Number of registered electors	521,000,000 (approx.)
Voters	53%

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Congress (I)	226
Bharatiya Jamata Party	119
Jamata Dal (JD)	55
Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI (M))	35
Telegu Desam (TD)	14
Communist Party of India (CPI)	13
All-India Anna Dravida Monnetra Kazhagam (A-IADMK)	11
Other parties	33

Comments:
	Excluding 19 seats where polling postponed, 17 countermanded or withheld results, 2 nominated seats and independent membership.

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	472
Women:	36

Distribution of seats according to age:
25-30 years	8
31-35 years	32
36-40 years	50
41-45 years	75
46-50 years	87
51-55 years	71
56-60 years	65
61-65 years	66
66-70 years	32
71-75 years	14
76-80 years	4
81-85 years	1
Distribution of seats according to profession:
Farmers	162
Lawyers	83
Political workers	59
Teachers	38
Social workers	32
Doctors	25
Businessmen	23
Educationists	11
Journalists	10
Military	7
Civil servants	7
Engineers	7
Traders	7
Industrialists	6
Artists	4
Diplomats	4
Religious missionaries	3
Others	20

Comments:
	Data unavailable on remaining members.