Analysis · candidate churn

Who contests, who returns, who wins

Every Lok Sabha general election on record, 1962–2024

Contestants

8,292

2024 · 543 seats

Women elected

13.66%

Share of elected members

MPs re-elected

—%

Not published for this election

Turncoats

—

Not published for this election

First-time winners

—%

Not published for this election

Lok Sabha

#18

Elected 2024

[01]Seats won by party

2024 · national result · 543 seats

BJP 24044.2%

INC 9918.2%

SP 376.8%

AITC 295.3%

DMK 224.1%

TDP 162.9%

JD(U) 122.2%

SS(UBT) 91.7%

OTH 7934 parties

[02]Women elected, election by election

Share of elected members · 2024–1962 · newest first

2024 13.66%

2019 14.36%

2014 11.6%

2009 10.68%

2004 8.66%

1999 9.39%

1998 8.29%

1996 7.73%

1991 7.87%

1989 5.86%

1984 8.32%

1980 5.67%

1977 3.51%

1971 5.21%

1967 6.15%

1962 7.29%

[03]Incumbent MP re-election strike rate

Of sitting MPs who stood again, the share that won

2019 67.06%226/337

2014 42.0%168/400

2009 47.79%173/362

2004 53.94%226/419

1999 58.86%269/457

1998 53.91%248/460

1996 50.92%194/381

1991 63.24%258/408

1989 43.01%163/379

1984 64.61%230/356

1980 38.96%150/385

1977 41.9%137/327

1971 70.82%216/305

1967 76.17%179/235

[04]Turncoats — candidates who switched party

Since the previous election they contested

2019 19529 won

2014 26338 won

2009 21330 won

2004 21456 won

1999 23564 won

1998 20251 won

1996 24249 won

1991 17934 won

1989 16487 won

1984 21235 won

1980 37778 won

1977 161111 won

1971 12438 won

1967 4723 won

[05]Winners by education

2024 · elected members' highest qualification

Post Graduate 133

Graduate 126

Graduate Professional 86

12th Pass 58

10th Pass 30

Doctorate 27

Others 16

8th Pass 4

5th Pass 2

Literate 1

[07]Computed insights

Arithmetic · working shown

Women's share of elected members went from 7.29% in 1962 to 13.66% in 2024 — 1.9×.
13.66% ÷ 7.29% = 1.9×
The most party-switching came in 1980: 377 turncoats stood, of whom 78 won.
max(turncoats) over 16 elections = 377
Sitting MPs fared best in 1967 (76.17%) and worst in 1980 (38.96%).
max / min strike rate over 14 elections with incumbents
The most new blood arrived in 1967: 59.62% of winners had never won the seat before.
max(first-time-winner share), elections with a prior term = 59.62%

Each line is arithmetic over the figures on this page.

SourceTrivedi Centre for Political Data (TCPD) / Lok Dhaba, candidate-level election data; women, incumbency and turncoat figures are LokDhaba's own derived aggregates, one row per election

NoteIncumbency and turncoat status require a previous election, so the first year on record carries none. Candidate age is not part of this dataset