New Delhi: The newly elected 17th Lok Sabha has 78 women Members of Parliament (MPs), the highest since independence. According to PRS legislative research, Parliament this time has 300 first-time MPs and 197 MPs who have been re-elected for a second consecutive term.

Out of the 716 women candidates who contested elections, 78 have been elected, which is 14% of the house. This is higher than 2014 where there were 62 women MPs in the house.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single-largest party after winning 303 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress won 52 seats, while Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) emerged as the third-largest party with 23 seats.

Lok Sabha elections in 542 parliamentary constituencies were held between 11 April and 19 May across seven phases. Results were declared on 23 May. Election in one parliamentary constituency — Vellore in Tamil Nadu — was postponed.

The average age of a MP in the 17th Lok Sabha is 54 years even as 12% of the MPs in the house are below 40. Fourty three per cent MPs have at least graduate-level education, 25% are post-graduates and 4% have doctorates.

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