1971 Indian General Election

Garibi Hatao

1–10 March 1971 · The Congress system tested · 518 seats, 260 for a majority

General elections were held in India between 1 and 10 March 1971 to elect members of the fifth Lok Sabha. They were the fifth general elections since independence in 1947.

Held in wartime. This election took place while the country was engaged in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 (1971). Conflicts →

Prime Minister before

Indira Gandhi

INC(R)

Prime Minister (continued)

Indira Gandhi

INC(R)

Largest force

Indian National Congress (R)

352 of 518 seats

Turnout

55.3%

The result

Sort by

Indian National Congress (R)

Indira Gandhi · 43.7% of votes · +69 seats

352

seats

Communist Party of India (Marxist)

Puchalapalli Sundarayya · 5.1% of votes · +6 seats

seats

Communist Party of India

4.7% of votes · 0 seats

seats

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

3.8% of votes · +2 seats

seats

Bharatiya Jana Sangh

7.3% of votes · +13 seats

seats

ABJS

Atal Bihari Vajpayee · 7.3% of votes · -13 seats

seats

Indian National Congress (Organisation)

K. Kamaraj · 10.4% of votes

seats

Independents

8.4% of votes · +21 seats

seats

Telangana Praja Samithi

1.3% of votes

seats


Indian National Congress (R)	—	Indira Gandhi	352	+69	6,40,33,274	43.7%	+2.9
Communist Party of India (Marxist)	—	Puchalapalli Sundarayya	25	+6	75,10,089	5.1%	+0.8
Communist Party of India	—	—	23	0	69,33,627	4.7%	—
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam	—	—	23	+2	56,22,758	3.8%	—
Bharatiya Jana Sangh	—	—	22	+13	1,07,77,119	7.3%	—
ABJS	Grand Alliance	Atal Bihari Vajpayee	22	-13	1,07,77,119	7.3%	-2.0
Indian National Congress (Organisation)	Grand Alliance	K. Kamaraj	16	—	1,52,85,851	10.4%	—
Independents	—	—	14	+21	1,22,79,629	8.4%	—
Telangana Praja Samithi	—	—	10	—	18,73,589	1.3%	—

11 further seats went to parties and independents outside the main contenders listed above.