January 1952, Bombay. Almost nine lakh residents, braving the cold weather, standing in long queues outside polling stations set up in industrial areas to vote in India’s first general elections. The “harsh climate” of India’s winters necessitated the world’s largest election at that time to be held in 68 phases. Himachal Pradesh headed to polls early, in late 1951, to circumvent the challenges of its inclement weather.
In 2024, the stage is recast. An acute heatwave will prevail over most parts of the country this Lok Sabha election season, the second-longest in history after 1952. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recently announced that above-normal temperatures, and “stronger and longer spells of heatwaves,” are likely to be recorded between April and June, when people are likely to be on the streets partaking in election rallies and campaigns. The 44-day-long electoral exercise could expose people to health hazards, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said in a recent advisory to the Election Commission (EC).
For at least five decades, cold spells, draughty winds or relatively cooler conditions were the setting for India’s Lok Sabha elections. That was until the 2004 General Election, which revised the timeline and temperatures of the national polls.
