The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are set to take place between April and May. Read here to learn about the Lower House of Parliament and how much majority is needed to form the central government.

The Election Commission (EC) of India announced the tentative date of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The general elections are most likely to be held between April and May, meaning that the citizens of India will choose the next central government in the second quarter of the year.

How many MPs are there in Lok Sabha?
The Lok Sabha, or the lower house of the Indian Parliament, consists of 543 members at present. The Constitution allows for a maximum of 550 members in the House, with 530 members representing the States and 20 representing the Union Territories. Following the Constitution 84th Amendment Act, the total number of existing seats in the Lok Sabha assigned to individual states based on the 1971 census should stay unchanged until the first census held after 2026.

The Lok Sabha dissolves five years after the date appointed for its first meeting (with a few exceptions for early dissolution). The current 17th Lok Sabha term, led by the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is set to end on June 16, 2024.

How much majority is needed to form the central government?
As discussed above, the Lok Sabha elections are held to elect 543 members to the Lower House. To form a government, a party or coalition needs to secure a majority of at least 50%, which is 272 seats in the Lok Sabha. This ensures that they have enough support to pass legislation and govern effectively. If the party secures more than half of the seats in the Lok Sabha, it can form a government on its own.

In cases where no single party or coalition is able to secure a majority, then a coalition government may be formed with the support of smaller parties. This ensures that a stable government is in place and that decisions can be made with the consensus of multiple parties.