Only three independents make it to the Lok Sabha

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Only three independent candidates have been elected to the Lok Sabha in the 2014 general election, the lowest since the first polls held in 1952.

Though the number of independent candidates has gone up steadily from 1,874 in 1952 to 8,070 in 2009 and 3,234 in 2014, their numbers in the Lok Sabha have declined.

While 37 candidates were elected in 1952, only nine won in 2009 and the number further fell to three in 2014.

The highest number of 42 independent candidates were elected in 1957, the second general election.

Twenty independents were elected in 1962, 35 in 1967, 14 in 1971, and 9 in 1977.

Another interesting trend is the rise in the number of independents forfeiting their deposits.

In 1952, the number of such candidates who could not save their deposits were 360 as compared to 3,806 in 2009. In 1991-92 a high number of 10,604 forfeited their deposits.

The three independents who got elected this time are Naba Kumar Sarania (Hira) from Kokrajhar in Assam, comedian Innocent and advocate Joice George from Kerala.

Among them, Sarania has the highest victory margin. He defeated his nearest rival, Independent candidate Urkhao Gwra Brahma by 3,55,779 votes.

A total of 8,241 candidates contested the general election, which included 3,234 independents.