Explained: After election results, what’s next

If no party single-handedly gets the majority, the President will invite the party with most seats to form government.

All eyes on TVs to get latest updated in Ludhiana. Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh

After the results are announced and the Election Commission hands over the list of newly-elected MPs to President Droupadi Murmu, the President will call the single largest party to prove that it enjoys the support of a majority of MPs.

Before that, each winning candidate will be handed over a certificate of election by the Returning Officer of the constituency. The candidate will be asked to sign an acknowledgement of receipt of the certificate, which will then be immediately sent by registered post to the Secretary General of the Lok Sasbha, as per EC’s guidelines.

This certificate, known as Form 22, is required by authorities for verifying the identity of the elected candidates when they go to the Lok Sabha to take their oath as members.

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The EC will then hand over a list of the elected MPs to the President, which will set in motion the process for constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha. In 2019, the EC had handed over the list to the President on May 25 — two days after the results were announced. The same day then-President Ram Nath Kovind invited the NDA to form the government, and the swearing-in took place on May 30.

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In 2004, after no party was successful in getting a majority, the Congress-led UPA bloc was formed and invited to form the government.

As of 4pm, the leads and wins declared by the Election Commission showed the BJP falling short of the majority mark of 272. However, the BJP-led NDA bloc was projected to cross 272.

For latest updates on the Lok Sabha elections, click here.

Damini Nath

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. ... Read More