# 1957 Indian general election

General elections were held in India between 24 February and 14 March 1957, the second elections to the Lok Sabha after independence. Elections to several state legislatures were held simultaneously.
Under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, the Indian National Congress easily won a second term in power, taking 371 of the 494 seats. They gained an extra seven seats (the size of the Lok Sabha had been increased by five) and their vote share increased from 45% to 48%. The INC received nearly five times more votes than the Communist Party, the second largest party. In addition, 19% of the vote and 42 seats went to independent candidates, the highest of any Indian general election.

## Electoral system

There were 494 seats elected using first past the post voting. Out of the 403 constituencies, 91 elected two members, while the remaining 312 elected a single member. The multi-seat constituencies were abolished before the next election.
The elections were overseen by Sukumar Sen, the Chief Election Commissioner, who used the existing election infrastructure to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Historian Ramachandra Guha wrote "this general election cost the exchequer Rs45 million less than the previous one. The prudent Sen had safely stored the 3.5 million ballot boxes the first time round and only half a million additional ones were required."

## Results

| | Indian National Congress | 57,579,589 | 47.78 | 371 | +7 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 12,542,666 | 10.41 | 19 | –2 |
| | Communist Party of India | 10,754,075 | 8.92 | 27 | +11 |
| | Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 7,193,267 | 5.97 | 4 | +1 |
| | Scheduled Castes Federation | 2,038,890 | 1.69 | 6 | +4 |
| | All India Ganatantra Parishad | 1,291,141 | 1.07 | 7 | +1 |
| | People's Democratic Front | 1,044,032 | 0.87 | 2 | –5 |
| | Hindu Mahasabha | 1,032,322 | 0.86 | 1 | –3 |
| | Peasants and Workers Party of India | 924,832 | 0.77 | 4 | +2 |
| | Jharkhand Party | 751,830 | 0.62 | 6 | +3 |
| | Forward Bloc (Marxist) | 665,341 | 0.55 | 2 | +1 |
| | Chota Nagpur Santhal Parganas Janata Party | 501,359 | 0.42 | 3 | +2 |
| | Akhil Bharatiya Ram Rajya Parishad | 460,838 | 0.38 | 0 | –3 |
| | Revolutionary Socialist Party | 308,742 | 0.26 | 0 | –3 |
| | Praja Party | 140,742 | 0.12 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independents | 23,284,249 | 19.32 | 42 | +5 |
| Appointed members | Appointed members | | | 11 | +1 |
| Total | Total | 120,513,915 | 100.00 | 505 | +6 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 193,652,179 | 45.44 | | |
| Source: ECI ||||||

### Results by state

| State | Total seats | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won |
| State | Total seats | INC | CPI | PSP | GP | SCF | JKP | BJS | Others | Ind. | App. |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 43 | 37 | 2 | | | | | | 2 | 2 | |
| Assam | 12 | 9 | | 2 | | | | | | 1 | |
| Bihar | 53 | 41 | | 2 | | | 6 | | 3 | 1 | |
| Bombay | 66 | 38 | 4 | 5 | | 5 | | 2 | 4 | 8 | |
| Delhi | 5 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| Himachal Pradesh | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| Kerala | 18 | 6 | 9 | 1 | | | | | | 2 | |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 6 |
| Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 36 | 35 | | | | | | | 1 | | |
| Madras | 41 | 31 | 2 | | | | | | | 8 | |
| Manipur | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | 1 | |
| Mysore | 26 | 23 | | 1 | | 1 | | | | 1 | |
| North-East Frontier Agency | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Orissa | 20 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 7 | | | | | 3 | |
| Punjab | 22 | 21 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Rajasthan | 22 | 19 | | | | | | | | 3 | |
| Tripura | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Uttar Pradesh | 86 | 70 | 1 | 4 | | | | 2 | | 9 | |
| West Bengal | 36 | 23 | 6 | 2 | | | | | 2 | 3 | |
| Anglo-Indians | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| Total | 505 | 371 | 27 | 19 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 42 | 11 |
| Source: ECI ||||||||||||

#### Andhra Pradesh

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 4,906,044 | 51.47 | 37 | +31 |
| | Communist Party of India | 1,144,811 | 12.01 | 2 | –4 |
| | People's Democratic Front | 1,044,032 | 10.95 | 2 | – |
| | Other parties | 600,686 | 6.30 | 0 | – |
| | Independents | 1,835,800 | 19.26 | 2 | –6 |
| Total | Total | 9,531,373 | 100.00 | 43 | – |

#### Assam

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 1,184,708 | 51.68 | +5.94 | 9 | –2 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 457,643 | 19.96 | –9.23 | 2 | +1 |
| | Communist Party of India | 235,044 | 10.25 | New | 0 | New |
| | Independents | 415,217 | 18.11 | +4.37 | 1 | +1 |
| Total | Total | 2,292,612 | 100.00 | – | 12 | 0 |

#### Bihar

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 4,450,208 | 44.47 | –1.30 | 41 | –4 |
| | Jharkhand Party | 751,830 | 7.51 | +0.10 | 6 | +3 |
| | Chota Nagpur Santhal Parganas Janata Party | 501,359 | 5.01 | +2.65 | 3 | +2 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 2,165,462 | 21.64 | –2.83 | 2 | –1 |
| | Communist Party of India | 502,707 | 5.02 | +4.62 | 0 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 51,416 | 0.51 | –6.00 | 0 | –2 |
| | Independents | 1,584,894 | 15.84 | +2.76 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 10,007,876 | 100.00 | – | 53 | –2 |

#### Bombay

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 8,156,272 | 48.66 | –1.49 | 38 | –2 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 1,457,203 | 8.69 | –11.45 | 5 | +5 |
| | Scheduled Caste Federation | 1,354,475 | 8.08 | +3.65 | 5 | +4 |
| | Communist Party of India | 1,055,013 | 6.29 | +4.95 | 4 | +4 |
| | Peasants and Workers Party of India | 924,832 | 5.52 | –1.48 | 4 | +3 |
| | Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 566,008 | 3.38 | New | 2 | New |
| | Other parties | 136,749 | 0.82 | –4.14 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independents | 3,109,733 | 18.55 | +6.58 | 8 | +5 |
| Total | Total | 16,760,285 | 100.00 | – | 66 | +21 |

#### Kerala

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Communist Party of India | 2,267,888 | 37.48 | 9 |
| | Indian National Congress | 2,102,883 | 34.76 | 6 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 438,459 | 7.25 | 1 |
| | Revolutionary Socialist Party | 308,742 | 5.10 | 0 |
| | Independents | 932,274 | 15.41 | 2 |
| Total | Total | 6,050,246 | 100.00 | 18 |

#### Madhya Pradesh

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 3,967,199 | 52.10 | +0.47 | 35 | +8 |
| | Hindu Mahasabha | 373,503 | 4.91 | +4.60 | 1 | +1 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 1,225,735 | 16.10 | –2.38 | 0 | 0 |
| | Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 1,062,936 | 13.96 | +9.02 | 0 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 376,441 | 4.94 | –7.77 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independents | 608,408 | 7.99 | –3.94 | 0 | –2 |
| Total | Total | 7,614,222 | 100.00 | – | 36 | +7 |

#### Madras

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 5,094,552 | 46.52 | +10.13 | 31 | +7 |
| | Communist Party of India | 1,101,338 | 10.06 | +1.11 | 2 | –1 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 399,789 | 3.65 | –11.43 | 0 | +0 |
| | Independents | 4,355,162 | 39.77 | +16.62 | 8 | +8 |
| Total | Total | 10,950,841 | 100.00 | – | 41 | –34 |

#### Mysore

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 3,219,014 | 55.52 | –13.42 | 23 | +13 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 1,082,698 | 18.67 | –10.79 | 1 | 0 |
| | Scheduled Caste Federation | 115,214 | 1.99 | New | 1 | New |
| | Other parties | 228,979 | 3.95 | | 0 | 0 |
| | Independents | 1,152,535 | 19.88 | +9.52 | 1 | +1 |
| Total | Total | 5,798,440 | 100.00 | – | 26 | +15 |

#### Orissa

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 1,776,767 | 40.01 | –2.50 | 7 | –4 |
| | All India Ganatantra Parishad | 1,291,141 | 29.08 | +2.85 | 7 | +1 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 684,023 | 15.40 | –1.44 | 2 | +1 |
| | Communist Party of India | 214,903 | 4.84 | –0.93 | 1 | 0 |
| | Independents | 473,656 | 10.67 | +2.02 | 3 | +2 |
| Total | Total | 4,440,490 | 100.00 | – | 20 | 0 |

#### Punjab

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 3,682,219 | 51.26 | +8.50 | 21 | +5 |
| | Communist Party of India | 1,207,600 | 16.81 | +11.77 | 1 | +1 |
| | Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 1,152,672 | 16.05 | +10.45 | 0 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 333,630 | 4.64 | –23.32 | 0 | –2 |
| | Independents | 807,709 | 11.24 | –7.40 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 7,183,830 | 100.00 | – | 22 | +4 |

#### Rajasthan

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 2,494,094 | 53.65 | +12.23 | 19 | +10 |
| | Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 518,355 | 11.15 | +8.11 | 0 | –1 |
| | Other parties | 356,278 | 7.66 | –18.72 | 0 | –4 |
| | Independents | 1,280,356 | 27.54 | –1.62 | 3 | –3 |
| Total | Total | 4,649,083 | 100.00 | – | 22 | +2 |

#### Uttar Pradesh

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 10,599,639 | 46.29 | –6.70 | 70 | –11 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 3,511,157 | 15.34 | –2.50 | 4 | +2 |
| | Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 3,385,247 | 14.79 | +7.50 | 2 | +2 |
| | Communist Party of India | 383,509 | 1.67 | +1.32 | 1 | +1 |
| | Akhil Bharatiya Ram Rajya Parishad | 98,138 | 0.43 | –3.12 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independents | 4,918,413 | 21.48 | +10.14 | 9 | +7 |
| Total | Total | 22,896,103 | 100.00 | – | 86 | 0 |

#### West Bengal

| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Indian National Congress | 5,031,696 | 48.20 | +6.10 | 23 | –1 |
| | Communist Party of India | 1,985,181 | 19.01 | +9.55 | 6 | +1 |
| | Marxist Forward Bloc | 665,341 | 6.37 | +1.85 | 2 | +2 |
| | Praja Socialist Party | 590,692 | 5.66 | –5.26 | 2 | +2 |
| | Hindu Mahasabha | 561,741 | 5.38 | +1.11 | 0 | –1 |
| | Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 149,351 | 1.43 | –4.51 | 0 | –2 |
| | Independents | 1,456,098 | 13.95 | –4.51 | 3 | +3 |
| Total | Total | 10,440,100 | 100.00 | – | 36 | +2 |

### Women performance in elections

Based on the published data from the Election Commission of India (ECI) website.

#### Participation

| State/UT | Total seats | Women contestants | Women contestants | Elected | Women contestants (%) | Elected (%) |
| State/UT | Total seats | Women | Seats | Elected | Women contestants (%) | Elected (%) |
| Andhra Pradesh | 43 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3.5% | 6.9% |
| Assam | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6.5% | 14.3% |
| Bihar | 53 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 3.7% | 9.4% |
| Bombay | 66 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3.11% | 4.5% |
| Kerala | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.7% | 0 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 36 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 6.6% | 8.3% |
| Madras | 41 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3.2% | 2.4% |
| Mysore | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Manipur | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Orissa | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Punjab | 22 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.3% | 4.5% |
| Rajasthan | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tripura | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 86 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2.05% | 13.75% |
| West Bengal | 36 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 11.59% | 1.1% |
| Delhi | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 14.8% | 20% |
| Himachal Pradesh | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| India | 494 | 45 | 37 | 22 | 2.96% | 4.45% |

## Voting

The first instance of booth capturing in India was recorded in 1957 in the General Elections of that year in Rachiyahi, in Begusarai's Matihani assembly seat.