The ensuing national event of election of members to the country’s Parliament (Lok Sabha) is marked by many unique features. The set of facts relating to the event as expressed in numbers is not only awesome but also has no parallel in any other country across the world. The members numbering 543 are to represent the country’s diaspora, currently estimated to be more than 135 crore, of whom about 900 million (90 crore) are eligible to exercise their franchise. This translates to each elected member representing between 15 and 20 lakh citizens. The government spend on the election is said to be more than Rs. 50,000 crore, which is a wild guess by a long shot. The spend by the wannabe Parliamentarians numbering several thousands is beyond anybody’s guess, a major chunk of which is drawn from their personal wealth amassed by means which doesn’t need elaboration. The human resources, numbering many lakhs deployed on election duty, to keep democracy alive are government employees to a major extent, supplemented by staff hired for the occasion. The hidden cost of conducting the election, carved out of public funds, doesn’t seem to be of concern on the part of public themselves.
The nation’s Parliament, its supreme legislative body, composed of the President of India, and the two Houses, the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, formally taking birth on Jan. 26, 1950, is currently witnessing election of its members for 17th time in seven decades. Women make up only 12 per cent of its total members.
