With the 2024 Lok Sabha Election results announced, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set to form the government, having secured a majority in the lower house of Parliament.
In India, the Lok Sabha elections are conducted across 543 constituencies, and a party or coalition needs to win at least 272 seats to form the government. This majority ensures the government has enough support to pass legislation and govern effectively.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 240 seats, while the NDA, as a whole, clinched 292 seats. The principal opposition party, Congress, secured 99 seats, and the INDIA bloc collectively won 233 seats. With these results, the NDA has surpassed the majority mark needed to form the government.
Following the election, the Election Commission will hand over the list of newly-elected MPs to President Droupadi Murmu. The President will then invite the single largest party or coalition to form the government. The winning party or coalition will nominate a Prime Minister, who will then select ministers for the cabinet.
Each winning candidate will receive a certificate of election from the Returning Officer of their constituency. These certificates, once acknowledged, will be sent to the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha. The Election Commission will provide a complete list of elected MPs to the President, initiating the process for constituting the 18th Lok Sabha.
With the BJP winning 240 seats, they fell short of the 272-majority mark. However, with the support of NDA allies like TDP and JD(U), the alliance has a total of 292 seats. As the leader of the NDA, Narendra Modi is expected to be invited by the President to form the next government. Modi is anticipated to take the oath as Prime Minister on June 8, marking his third consecutive term, a historic achievement since Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Before the new government can be formed, the current one must resign. Thus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers have tendered their resignation, which the President has accepted. The outgoing government will continue in office until the new one is sworn in. This transition paves the way for the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha and the formation of the 18th Lok Sabha, whose term begins after the current term ends on June 16.
The swearing-in ceremony for Narendra Modi and his Union Cabinet is expected to take place on June 8. As India prepares for this significant political transition, the focus will be on how the NDA will steer the country forward in its new term.
