After getting independence from British rule, the biggest challenge for India was to conduct the first independent Lok Sabha elections.
The first elections were held within the country in 1951–52. The fairness of India’s first Lok Sabha elections created a stir across the world. The African country Sudan attracted the most attention.
This was the reason why Sudan invited the then top official of the Election Commission of India, Sukumar Sen, to its country for its first parliamentary elections. The first parliamentary elections were held within Sudan in 1953 under Sen’s watch.
According to archival records of the Election Commission of India, Sen spent 14 months organizing elections in Sudan and making amendments to suit the needs of the African-Arab nation.
According to ECI archival literature, the success of the first general elections (1951–52) had placed India firmly on the “solid ground” of democracy before the world.
America, Middle East and African countries took tips
Records say, “Countries in the Middle East, Africa and South America also took tips from the Election Commission of India for detailed information on elections. mu
Former Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen was nominated to chair an international commission to conduct elections in the former British colony of Sudan.
He spent 14 months organizing the elections, partially modifying the laws and procedures to suit the needs of the Afro-Arab nation. The result was that despite only 2 percent literacy rate, the parliamentary elections in Sudan were completely successful.
In 1954, when the Government of India instituted civilian awards, Sen was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his contributions. Sen, an Indian Civil Service officer, was the Chief Secretary of West Bengal when he was appointed as the first Chief Election Commissioner of India.
The role of Sukumar Sen has also been mentioned by the 17th Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi in his book “An Undocumented Wonder: The Great Indian Election”.
Qureshi writes in his book, “Today, after more than seven decades, the great Indian election has become a global standard for free, fair and credible elections. However, several electoral reforms have taken place during this period, the most prominent of which is the change from ballot paper. Ballot paper has now given way to electronic voting machines. “Yet 80 per cent of the system is the same as that created by its founder Sen.”
According to the record, “India’s reputation as a democratic nation received further international support when Lok Sabha Speaker GV Mavalankar was elected as the President of the General Council of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Jamaica in 1956. This was the first time that an Asian member was elected to the post of Speaker.”
India is now preparing for the next general election to elect its 18th Lok Sabha, the schedule of which is likely to be announced next month. The last general elections in the country were held in 2019.