Page 11 - ECI Atlas

LOK SABHA ELECTIONS 2019
Foreword

democracy is truly vibrant when it witnesses the participation of each and every citizen in the
electoral process. The General Election to the 17 Lok Sabha of 2019 witnessed the nation
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A coming together to achieve some extraordinary feats. It is only when we achieve newer heights
that we can gain better cognizance of the path ahead of us.

An important tool in strategising the path ahead is the data that is painstakingly collated and analysed
in order to gain an understanding of the interventions required, their magnitude, target groups as well

as to ascertain the possible outcomes of any programmes on ground. This book encapsulates relevant
data of all aspects of the electoral process ranging from number of candidates to number of electors.
For instance, data on male, female and transgender electors can help us to understand the gaps in

interventions and take concrete action towards making the Gender Ratio more equitable. Likewise, a
comprehensive analysis of NOTA votes polled assists the Commission in understanding the prevalence of
NOTA option among voters and correlating it to the level of awareness regarding electoral processes.

With illustrative graphical representations, interesting anecdotes and facts, this document seeks to encapsulate an exhaustive overview of

information pertaining to every aspect of election management and the electoral process.

I hope, the reader will find Electoral Atlas to be an interesting and more importantly an informative document.

Umesh Sinha
Secretary General, ECI
Introduction

ndian elections are vast, vibrant, complex and diverse. It generates humongous data in the process of
every election. Since first elections in 1951-52, the Commission has been publishing compilation of
Ielectoral data in the form of narrative and statistical books. 17 General Elections conducted in 2019
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were the largest democratic exercise in human history. It witnessed the participation of 61.468 crores
voters at 10.378 lakh polling stations spread over 32.87 lakh square kilometre territory of India. In
October 2019, the Commission released statistical reports based on the electoral data made available by
the Returning Officers of 543 Parliamentary Constituencies. It was found apt to place these data on map

for better understanding and appreciation of electoral diversity and mammothness of the country.

In Indian elections, electoral data is primary collected during the preparation of electoral roll by the
Electoral Registration Officers and in the process of conduct of elections by the Returning Officers. All these are published by these statutory
authorities. The Election Commission collects these electoral data after the culmination of electoral process and prepares various reports

for compilation, record and dissemination purposes. These are not substitute of the statutory reports authenticated by the notified statutory
electoral authorities.

Map contextualises the data, reveals patterns at various levels, indicates its spatial and temporal settings, and simplifies the presentation. It has
a universal appreciation. Electoral data in India has been presented on maps as envisaged from the reports on first and subsequent elections.

However, in this atlas an attempt has been made to cover more in-depth coverage of main aspects of elections from the perspective of electors.
Since it consists the data of 2019 elections, the nomenclature and the political boundaries are depicted of that period only.

This exercise would not have been possible without the constant support and guidance of the Commission during the process of its making. All

senior officers in the Commission always encouraged in this endeavor. Chief Electoral Officers of States/UTs compiled and made available
the electoral data. Credit also goes to all the Returning Officers and the Electoral Registration Officers, who are the custodian of the electoral
data. Electoral Data Management Division took extra efforts to collate these data at the headquarter level.

Map design took considerable time. CEO Meghalaya assisted in this effort. Technicians in Planning division and SVEEP team in the

Commission made it possible. Our gratitude to all!

We hope that not only this publication will be found useful by academicians, researchers, policy makers, and all other stakeholders, but also it
may encourage them to explore and interpret further the beauty of Indian elections.

Chandra Bhushan Kumar
Deputy Election Commissioner, ECI

ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA | ix

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