View source for 1977 Indian general election

{{short description|none}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox election
| outgoing_members = List of members of the 5th Lok Sabha
| elected_members = List of members of the 6th Lok Sabha
| country = India
| type = parliamentary
| previous_election = 1971 Indian general election
| previous_year = 1971
| next_election = 1980 Indian general election
| next_year = 1980
| election_date = 16–20 March 1977<ref name=IPU>[http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/INDIA_1977_E.PDF India] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref>
| seats_for_election = 542 of the 544 seats in the [[Lok Sabha]]{{efn|name=seats|Two seats were reserved for [[Anglo-Indian reserved seats in the Lok Sabha|Anglo-Indians]] and filled by presidential nomination}}
| majority_seats = 272
| registered = 321,174,327
| turnout = 60.49% ({{increase}} 5.22[[Percentage point|pp]])
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image=Morarji Desai During his visit to the United States of America (cropped).jpg|bSize=130|cWidth=100|cHeight=130|oLeft=15|oTop=5}}
| leader1 = [[Morarji Desai]]
| party1 = [[Janata Party|JP]]{{efn|The Janata Party was a broad electoral alliance whose constituent parties maintained their organization. Desai was a member, and the leader of, the [[Indian National Congress (Organisation)|INC(O)]]}}
| last_election1 = 20.33%, 51 seats<!--Parties that merged to form JP-->
| seats1 = '''298'''
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 212
| popular_vote1 = '''81,386,148'''
| percentage1 = '''43.04%'''
| swing1 = {{increase}} 20.99[[Percentage point|pp]]
| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image=Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the US enhanced.jpg|bSize=120|cWidth=100|cHeight=130|oLeft=15|oTop=3}}
| leader2 = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| party2 = Indian National Congress (R)
| last_election2 = 43.68%, 352 seats
| seats2 = 154
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 198
| popular_vote2 = 65,211,589
| percentage2 = 34.52%
| swing2 = {{decrease}} 9.16[[Percentage point|pp]]
| image3 = {{CSS image crop|Image=Sundaraiah-Puchalapalli.jpg|bSize=120|cWidth=100|cHeight=130|oLeft=5|oTop=0}}
| leader3 = [[Puchalapalli Sundarayya]]
| party3 = Communist Party of India (Marxist)
| last_election3 = 5.12%, 25 seats
| seats3 = 22
| seat_change3 = {{decrease}} 3
| popular_vote3 = 8,113,659
| percentage3 = 4.29%
| swing3 = {{decrease}} 0.83[[Percentage point|pp]]
| map_image = Wahlergebnisse Indien 1977.svg
| map_caption = Results by constituency
| title = [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]
| posttitle = Prime Minister after election
| before_election = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| before_party = Indian National Congress (R)
| after_election = [[Morarji Desai]]
| after_party = Janata Party
| alliance1 = [[Janata Party|JP]]+[[List of communist parties in India|LF]]
| alliance2 = [[Indian National Congress|INC (R)+]]
| alliance3 = [[Janata Party|JP]]+[[List of communist parties in India|LF]]
}}

General elections were held in [[India]] between 16 and 20 March 1977 to elect the members of the [[6th Lok Sabha|sixth]] [[Lok Sabha]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=INDIA |url=http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/india_1977_e.pdf|website=Inter-Parliamentary Union}}</ref> The elections took place during [[The Emergency (India)|the Emergency period]], which expired on 21 March 1977, shortly before the final results were announced.<ref name=IPU/> 

The elections resulted in a heavy defeat for the [[Indian National Congress (R)]], with the incumbent [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] and INC(R) party leader [[Indira Gandhi]] losing her seat in [[Rae Bareli (Lok Sabha constituency)|Rae Bareli]], while her son [[Sanjay Gandhi|Sanjay]] lost his seat in [[Amethi]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2004-03-28 |title=How Amethi became a Gandhi bastion |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-amethi-became-a-gandhi-bastion/articleshow/586957.cms |access-date=2023-07-23 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> An attempt at an auto-coup failed and [[Morarji Desai]] of the [[Janata Party]] took office as the first non-Congress Prime Minister on 24 March. The call for restoration of democracy by revoking the Emergency is considered to be a major reason for the sweeping victory for the opposition [[Janata Party|Janata Alliance]],<ref>M.R. Masani, "India's Second Revolution," ''Asian Affairs'' (1977) 5#1 pp 19–38.</ref> At 81, Desai became the oldest man to be elected Prime Minister of India.

==Background==
A total of 542 members were elected from single-member constituencies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1977/Vol_I_LS_77.pdf |title=General Election of India 1977, 6th Lok Sabha |publisher=Election Commission of India |access-date=13 January 2010 |page=6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718185438/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1977/Vol_I_LS_77.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> These 542 constituencies remained same until [[2004 Indian general elections]] for the [[14th Lok Sabha]].

The Emergency declared by the Indira Gandhi led Congress(R) government was the core issue in the 1977 elections. Civil liberties were suspended during the national emergency from 25 June 1975 to 21 March 1977 and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi assumed vast powers.

Gandhi had become unpopular for her decision and paid for it during the elections. On 18 January, Gandhi called for fresh elections and released some [[political prisoner]]s. Many remained in prison until she was ousted from office and a new prime minister took over.<ref>[https://www.freepressjournal.in/webspecial/from-fpj-archives-emergency-impact-indira-gandhi-loses-elections-india-gets-first-non-gandhi-pm From FPJ Archives: Emergency impact - Indira Gandhi loses elections, India gets first non-Gandhi PM] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903165839/https://www.freepressjournal.in/webspecial/from-fpj-archives-emergency-impact-indira-gandhi-loses-elections-india-gets-first-non-gandhi-pm |date=3 September 2019 }} The Free Press Journal, 25 June 2019</ref> On 20 January, four opposition parties, the [[Indian National Congress (Organisation)]], the [[Bharatiya Jana Sangh]], the [[Bharatiya Lok Dal]] and the [[Praja Socialist Party]], decided to fight the elections under a single banner called the Janata alliance.<ref name=IPU/> The alliance used the symbol allocated to Bhartiya Lok Dal as their symbol on the ballot papers.

The Janata Alliance reminded voters of the excesses and human rights violations during the Emergency, like compulsory [[Sterilization (medicine)|sterilisation]] and imprisonment of political leaders. The Janata campaign said the elections would decide whether India would have "democracy or dictatorship."<ref>{{Cite web|title=INKredible India: The story of 1977 Lok Sabha election - All you need to know|url=https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/inkredible-india-the-story-of-1977-lok-sabha-election-all-you-need-to-know-2187368.html|access-date=6 December 2020|archive-date=27 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227102542/https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/inkredible-india-the-story-of-1977-lok-sabha-election-all-you-need-to-know-2187368.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Congress(R) looked jittery. Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Babu [[Jagjivan Ram]] quit the party in the first week of February; other notable Congress(R) stalwarts who crossed the floor with Jagjivan Ram before the election were [[Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna]] and [[Nandini Satpathy]].

==Results==
The elections in India's largest state [[Uttar Pradesh]], historically a Congress(R) stronghold, turned against Gandhi. Dhanagare says the structural reasons included the emergence of a strong and united opposition, disunity and weariness within the Congress(R), an effective opposition and the failure of Gandhi in controlling the mass media, which was under censorship during the Emergency. The structural factors allowed voters to express their grievances, notably their resentment of the emergency and its authoritarian and repressive policies. One grievance often mentioned was the 'Nasbandi' (vasectomy) campaign in rural areas. The middle class also emphasised on the curbing of freedom of speech throughout the country.<ref>D.N. Dhanagare, "Sixth Lok Sabha Election in Uttar Pradesh – 1977: The End of the Congress Hegemony," ''Political Science Review'' (1979) 18#1 pp 28–51</ref>

Meanwhile, Congress(R) hit an all-time low in [[West Bengal]], according to the Gangulys, because of the state-sponsored [[Anti-communist mass killings|anti-Communist violence]] against the cadres of [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]] & [[Naxalism|Naxalites]] by the government of [[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]], [[1972 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|whose legitimacy was questionable]], poor discipline and factionalism among Congress(R) activists as well as numerous defections that weakened the party. Opponents emphasised the issues of corruption within the Congress(R) and appealed to a deep desire by the voters for fresh leadership.<ref>Mira Ganguly and Bangendu Ganguly, "Lok Sabha Election, 1977: The West Bengal Scene," ''Political Science Review'' (1979) 18#3 pp 28–53
</ref> The Congress(R), however, did well in southern states of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Karnataka]], [[Kerala]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]]. The results were mixed in the western states of [[Maharashtra]] and [[Gujarat]], although the Janata alliance won all the seats in [[Mumbai]].

{{Election results
|image=[[File:Lok Sabha Zusammensetzung 1977.svg|350px]]
|party1=[[Janata Party]]|votes1=78062828|seats1=295|sc1=+209
|party2=[[Indian National Congress (R)]]|votes2=65211589|seats2=154|sc2=–198
|party3=[[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]|votes3=8113659|seats3=22|sc3=–3
|party4=[[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]|votes4=5480378|seats4=18|sc4=New
|party5=[[Communist Party of India]]|votes5=5322088|seats5=7|sc5=–16
|party6=[[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]|votes6=3323320|seats6=2|sc6=–21
|party7=[[Indian National Congress (Organisation)]]|votes7=3252217|seats7=3|sc7=–13
|party8=[[Shiromani Akali Dal]]|votes8=2373331|seats8=9|sc8=+8
|party9=[[Peasants and Workers Party of India]]|votes9=1030232|seats9=5|sc9=+5
|party10=[[Republican Party of India (Khobragade)]]|votes10=956072|seats10=2|sc10=+2
|party11=[[Revolutionary Socialist Party (India)|Revolutionary Socialist Party]]|votes11=851164|seats11=4|sc11=+1
|party12=[[All India Forward Bloc]]|votes12=633644|seats12=3|sc12=+1
|party13=[[Indian Union Muslim League]]|votes13=565007|seats13=2|sc13=0
|party14=Kerala Congress (Pillai Group)|votes14=526937|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=[[Kerala Congress]]|votes15=491674|seats15=2|sc15=–1
|party16=[[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]]|votes16=483192|seats16=2|sc16=New
|party17=[[Muslim League (Opposition)]]|votes17=318979|seats17=0|sc17=New
|party18=[[Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)|Socialist Unity Centre of India]]|votes18=280995|seats18=0|sc18=0
|party19=[[Vishal Haryana Party]]|votes19=192867|seats19=0|sc19=–1
|party20=[[Republican Party of India]]|votes20=155972|seats20=0|sc20=–1
|party21=[[All India Jharkhand Party]]|votes21=126288|seats21=1|sc21=0
|party22=[[United Democratic Front (Kerala)|United Democratic Front]]|votes22=124627|seats22=1|sc22=New
|party23=[[Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party]]|votes23=118748|seats23=1|sc23=+1
|party24=[[Jharkhand Party]]|votes24=116961|seats24=0|sc24=New
|party25=[[Manipur Peoples Party]]|votes25=109130|seats25=0|sc25=0
|party26=Shoshit Samaj Dal (Akhil Baharatiya)|votes26=96753|seats26=0|sc26=New
|party27=[[Revolutionary Communist Party of India]]|votes27=45047|seats27=0|sc27=0
|party28=[[Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti]]|votes28=35916|seats28=0|sc28=New
|party29=[[Hindu Mahasabha]]|votes29=35419|seats29=0|sc29=0
|party30=[[Bihar Prant Hul Jharkhand]]|votes30=27116|seats30=0|sc30=0
|party31=[[Akhil Bharatiya Ram Rajya Parishad]]|votes31=26169|seats31=0|sc31=0
|party32=All India Labour Party|votes32=17191|seats32=0|sc32=New
|party33=[[Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League]]|votes33=12509|seats33=0|sc33=0
|party34=All India Shiromani Baba Jivan Singh Mazabhi Dal|votes34=5868|seats34=0|sc34=New
|party35=Independents|votes35=10393617|seats35=9|sc35=–5
|row55=Appointed [[Anglo-Indians]]|seats55=2|sc55=0
|invalid=5346411
|electorate=321174327
|total_sc=+23
|source=[https://eci.gov.in/files/file/4116-general-election-1977-vol-i-ii/?do=download&r=9749&confirm=1&t=1&csrfKey=6df04992cf2c2fe96a9487465b425663 ECI]
}}

===Results by state===
{|class="wikitable defaultcenter col1left" style="font-size: 100%"
!rowspan="2"|[[States and union territories of India|State/Union Territory]]
!rowspan="2"|Seats
|bgcolor="{{party color|Janata Party}}"|
|bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}"|
|bgcolor="{{party color|Left Front}}"|
|bgcolor="{{party color|Other}}"|
|-
![[Janata Party|JNP]]
![[Indian National Congress (R)|INC]]
![[Left Front (West Bengal)|LFT]]
!OTH
|-
![[1977 Indian general election in Andhra Pradesh|Andhra Pradesh]]
!42
|1
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|41
|0
|0
|-
![[Arunachal Pradesh]]
!2
|0
|1
|0
|1
|-
![[Assam]]
!14
|3
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|10
|0
|1
|-
![[1977 Indian general election in Bihar|Bihar]]
!54
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|52
|0
|0
|2
|-
![[Goa]] [[Daman & Diu]]
!2
|0
|1
|0
|1
|-
![[1977 Indian general election in Gujarat|Gujarat]]
!26
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|16
|10
|0
|0
|-
![[Haryana]]
!10
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|10
|0
|0
|0
|-
![[Himachal Pradesh]]
!4
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|4
|0
|0
|0
|-
![[1977 Indian general election in Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu & Kashmir]]
!6
|0
|3
|0
|3
|-
![[Karnataka]]
!28
|2
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|26
|0
|0
|-
![[1977 Indian general election in Kerala|Kerala]]
!20
|0
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|11
|5
|4
|-
![[Madhya Pradesh]]
!40
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|37
|1
|0
|2
|-
![[Maharashtra]]
!48
|19
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|20
|3
|6
|-
![[Manipur]]
!2
|0
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|2
|0
|0
|-
![[Meghalaya]]
!2
|0
|1
|0
|1
|-
![[Mizoram]]
!1
|0
|0
|0
|style="background:{{Party color|Other}}; color:black;"|1
|-
![[Nagaland]]
!1
|0
|0
|0
|style="background:{{Party color|Other}}; color:black;"|1
|-
![[Orissa]]
!21
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|15
|4
|1
|1
|-
![[Punjab]]
!13
|3
|0
|1
|style="background:{{Party color|Other}}; color:black;"|9
|-
![[Rajasthan]]
!25
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|24
|1
|0
|0
|-
![[Sikkim]]
!1
|0
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|1
|0
|0
|-
![[1977 Indian general election in Tamil Nadu|Tamil Nadu]]
!39
|0
|14
|3
|style="background:{{Party color|Other}}; color:black;"|22
|-
![[Tripura]]
!2
|1
|1
|0
|0
|-
![[Uttar Pradesh]]
!85
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|85
|0
|0
|0
|-
![[West Bengal]]
!42
|15
|3
|style="background:{{Party color|Left Front}}; color:white;"|23
|1
|-
![[Andaman & Nicobar Islands]]
!1
|0
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|1
|0
|0
|-
![[Chandigarh]]
!1
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|1
|0
|0
|0
|-
![[Dadra & Nagar Haveli]]
!1
|0
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|1
|0
|0
|-
![[National Capital Territory of Delhi]]
!7
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|7
|0
|0
|0
|-
![[Lakshadweep]]
!1
|0
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|1
|0
|0
|-
![[Pondicherry]]
!1
|0
|0
|0
|style="background:{{Party color|Other}}; color:black;"|1
|-
!Total
!542
|style="background:{{Party color|Janata Party}}; color:white;"|'''295'''
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress (R)}}; color:black;"|'''154'''
|style="background:{{Party color|Left Front}}; color:white;"|'''36'''
|style="background:{{Party color|Other}}; color:black;"|'''57'''
|}

'''Notes:'''  
* The results for presented above are '''party-wise''', not '''alliance-wise'''.  
* '''Party abbreviations:'''  
** '''JNP''' – [[Janata Party]]
** '''INC(R)''' – [[Indian National Congress (R)]] 
** '''LFT''' – [[Left Front (West Bengal)|Left Front]] (comprising [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]], [[Communist Party of India|CPI]], [[Revolutionary Socialist Party (India)|RSP]], and [[All India Forward Bloc|AIFB]])  
** '''OTH''' – Others (includes parties and [[Independent politician|independents]] not belonging to any of the above groups)

====Andhra Pradesh====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:97.62%;" | '''41'''
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:2.38%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JNP'''</span>
|}

====Arunachal Pradesh====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:50%;" | '''1'''
| style="background:{{party color|Independent}}; width:50%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Independent}};"><span style="color:#333;">'''IND'''</span></span>
|}

====Assam====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:71.43%;" | '''10'''
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:21.43%;" | '''3'''
| style="background:{{party color|Independent}}; width:7.14%;" | <span style="color:#333;">'''1'''</span>
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JNP'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Independent}};"><span style="color:#333;">'''IND'''</span></span>
|}

====Bihar====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:96.30%;" | '''52'''
| style="background:{{party color|Independent}}; width:1.85%;" | <span style="color:#333;">'''1'''</span>
| style="background:{{party color|Jharkhand Party}}; width:1.85%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JNP'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Independent}};"><span style="color:#333;">'''IND'''</span></span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Jharkhand Party}};">'''JKP'''</span>
|}

====Goa, Daman & Diu====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:50%;" | '''1'''
| style="background:{{party color|Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party}}; width:50%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party}};">'''MAG'''</span>
|}

====Gujarat====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:61.54%;" | '''16'''
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:38.46%;" | '''10'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JP'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
|}

====Haryana====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:100%;" | '''10'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JP'''</span>
|}

====Himachal Pradesh====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:100%;" | '''4'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JP'''</span>
|}

====Jammu & Kashmir====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:50%;" | '''3'''
| style="background:{{party color|Jammu & Kashmir National Conference}}; width:33.33%;" | '''2'''
| style="background:{{party color|Independent}}; width:16.67%;" | <span style="color:#333;">'''1'''</span>
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Jammu & Kashmir National Conference}};">'''JKNC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Independent}};"><span style="color:#333;">'''IND'''</span></span>
|}

====Karnataka====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:92.86%;" | '''26'''
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:7.14%;" | '''2'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JP'''</span>
|}

====Kerala====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:55%;" | '''11'''
| style="background:{{party color|Communist Party of India}}; width:20%;" | '''4'''
| style="background:{{party color|Indian Union Muslim League}}; width:10%;" | '''2'''
| style="background:{{party color|Kerala Congress}}; width:10%;" | '''2'''
| style="background:{{party color|Revolutionary Socialist Party (India)}}; width:5%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Communist Party of India}};">'''CPI'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian Union Muslim League}};">'''IUML'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Kerala Congress}};">'''KEC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Revolutionary Socialist Party (India)}};">'''RSP'''</span>
|}

====Maharasthra====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:41.67%;" | '''20'''
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:39.58%;" | '''19'''
| style="background:{{party color|Peasants and Workers Party of India}}; width:10.42%;" | '''5'''
| style="background:{{party color|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}}; width:6.25%;" | '''3'''
| style="background:{{party color|Republican Party of India (Khobragade)}}; width:2.08%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JP'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Peasants and Workers Party of India}};">'''PWPI'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}};">'''CPI(M)'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Republican Party of India (Khobragade)}};">'''RPK'''</span>
|}

====Manipur====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:100.00%;" | '''2'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
|}

====Meghalaya====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:50%;" | '''1'''
| style="background:{{party color|Independent}}; width:50%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Independent}};"><span style="color:#333;">'''IND'''</span></span>
|}

====Mizoram====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Independent}}; width:100%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Independent}};"><span style="color:#333;">'''IND'''</span></span>
|}

====Nagaland====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|United Democratic Front (Kerala)}}; width:100%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Others}};"><span style="color:#333;">'''UDF'''</span></span>
|}

====Orissa====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:71.43%;" | '''15'''
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:19.05%;" | '''4'''
| style="background:{{party color|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}}; width:4.76%;" | '''1'''
| style="background:{{party color|Independent}}; width:4.76%;" | <span style="color:#333;">'''1'''</span>
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JP'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}};">'''CPI(M)'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Independent}};"><span style="color:#333;">'''IND'''</span></span>
|}

====Punjab====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Shiromani Akali Dal}}; width:69.23%;" | '''9'''
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:23.08%;" | '''3'''
| style="background:{{party color|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}}; width:7.69%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Shiromani Akali Dal}};">'''SAD'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JP'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}};">'''CPI(M)'''</span>
|}

====Rajasthan====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}}; width:96%;" | '''24'''
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:4%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Janata Party}};">'''JP'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
|}

====Sikkim====
{| style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|+
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}}; width:100.00%;" | '''1'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};">'''INC'''</span>
|}

== Lok Sabha by-elections ==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
!#
!Year
!Constituency
!State/UT
! colspan="3" |Previous MP 
!Reason
!colspan=3|Elected MP
|-
!1
|rowspan="8"|1978
|[[Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency|Nandyal]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Andhra Pradesh]]
|[[Neelam Sanjiva Reddy]]
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
| Resigned 
| [[Pendekanti Venkatasubbaiah]]
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
!2
|[[Warangal Lok Sabha constituency|Warangal]]
| S. B. Giri
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
| Death 
| G. M. Rao
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
!3
|[[Samastipur Lok Sabha constituency|Samastipur]]
|[[Bihar]]
| [[Karpoori Thakur]]
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
| Resigned
| [[Ajit Kumar Mehta]]
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
|-
!4
|[[Karnal Lok Sabha constituency|Karnal]]
|[[Haryana]]
| [[B. D. Sharma]]
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
| Resigned
| M. Singh
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
|-
!5
|[[Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency|Chikmagalur]]
|[[Karnataka]]
| [[D. B. Chandregowda]]
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
| Resigned
| [[Indira Gandhi]]
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
!6
|[[Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency|Outer Manipur]]
|[[Manipur]]
| [[Yangmaso Shaiza]]
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
| Resigned
| Kaiho
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
|-
!7
|[[Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency|Azamgarh]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Uttar Pradesh]]
|[[Ram Naresh Yadav]]
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
| Declared Void 
| [[Mohsina Kidwai]]
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
!8
|[[Fatehpur Lok Sabha constituency|Fatehpur]]
|[[Bashir Ahmed (Member of Parliament)|Bashir Ahmed]]
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
| Death
| [[Liaquat Husain]]
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
|-
!9
|rowspan="4"|1979
|[[Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency|Secunderabad]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Andhra Pradesh]]
| M. M. Hashim	
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
| Resigned
| [[P. Shiv Shankar]]
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
!10
|[[Siddipet Lok Sabha constituency|Siddipet]]
| [[Gaddam Venkatswamy]]
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
| Resigned
| [[Nandi Yellaiah]]
|{{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
!11
|[[Sidhi Lok Sabha constituency|Sidhi]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Madhya Pradesh]]
| Surya Narayan Singh
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
| Death
| R. N. Singh
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
|-
!12
|[[Khandwa Lok Sabha constituency|Khandwa]]
| Parmanand Govindjiwala
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
| Death
| [[Kushabhau Thakre]]
|{{Full party name with color|Janata Party}}
|-
|}

==Aftermath==
It was not clear if Indira would accept the election results. Although she publicly claimed she would "abide" by the results, behind the scenes, she fired Military Intelligence Head Mani Mishra in favour of loyalist Kashmiri Hardayal Kaul. The INC(R) and senior military officers held several meetings in New Delhi, raising suspicions.<ref name=CJ>{{cite book|author=Christophe Jaffrelot|title=India's First Dictatorship|year=2020|page=430}}</ref> [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]] [[T.N. Raina]] (who had only been appointed because Indira had superseded senior officers to appoint him) was invited for a discussion by Indira and Sanjay Gandhi. Sanjay reportedly told Raina "There are about 300 districts in the country. One infantry platoon is sufficient to control each district... Thus we can control India by deploying 300 platoons or about 25 infantry battalions; a mere three or four divisions. The party [the Congress], supported by paramilitary forces and the police, can deal with other administrative details." Although Indira agreed with Sanjay's plan, Raina refused to follow the plan, despite noting Sanjay's assumptions were "mathematically correct".<ref name=CJ/> 

==See also==
*[[List of members of the 6th Lok Sabha]]
*{{c|1977 Indian general election by state or union territory}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Guha, Ramachandra. ''India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy'' (2008)  pp 491–518
*Klieman, Aaron S. "Indira's India: Democracy and Crisis Government," ''Political Science Quarterly'' (1981) 96#2 pp.&nbsp;241–259 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2150338 in JSTOR]
*Roy, Ramashray; Sheth, D. L. "The 1977 Lok Sabha Election Outcome: The Salience of Changing Voter Alignments Since 1969," ''Political Science Review'' (1978), Vol. 17 Issue 3/4, pp 51–63

{{Indian elections}}
{{Indian Emergency}}

[[Category:1977 Indian general election| ]]
[[Category:March 1977 in Asia|India]]
[[Category:1977 elections in Asia|India]]
[[Category:General elections in India]]