16 This work is published under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research ISSN: 2347-1697 Volume 6 Issue 8 April 2019 www.ijifr.com Abstract Present paper attempts to have a spatial look into the Vidhan Sabha elections ofHimachal Pradesh state, held in 2017. Electoral geography analysis the methods, behavior and electoral results in the context of geographic space. This paper deals with the spatial analysis of 2017 Himachal Pradesh Elections, and also the change in the spatial patterns of electoral results from 2012 elections in Himachal Pradesh. Electoral Geography of Himachal Pradesh has witnessed bipolar party system where two main parties of state have always been in competition with each other. The first one is BhartiyaJanata Party (BJP) and the second one is Indian National Congress (INC). In 2012elections INC won 36 seats out of total 68 seats. But in 2017 elections the scenario was totally different. Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha elections of 2017 have been won byBJP by winning 44 seats. Electoral data has been used to get information about the results of 2012 and 2017 state vidhansabhaelections. Study presents the share of winning parties, flipped constituencies, and changing patterns of electoral results through the analysis of state electoral results. A SPATIAL LOOK INTO THE HIMACHAL PRADESH VIDHAN SABHA ELECTIONS, 2017 Paper ID IJIFR/V6/ E8/ 009 Page No. 16-25 Subject Area Geography Key Words Electoral geography, Geography of Elections, HP, India, Party politics 1 Diksha Kumari Masters in Geography, Lovely Professional University , Jalandhar-Punjab (India) 2 Dr. Ripudaman Singh Professor , Department of Geography, Lovely Professional University , Jalandhar-Punjab (India)
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16 This work is published under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research ISSN: 2347-1697
Volume 6 Issue 8 April 2019 www.ijifr.com
Abstract
Present paper attempts to have a spatial look into the Vidhan Sabha
elections ofHimachal Pradesh state, held in 2017. Electoral geography
analysis the methods, behavior and electoral results in the context of
geographic space. This paper deals with the spatial analysis of 2017
Himachal Pradesh Elections, and also the change in the spatial patterns of
electoral results from 2012 elections in Himachal Pradesh. Electoral
Geography of Himachal Pradesh has witnessed bipolar party system
where two main parties of state have always been in competition with
each other. The first one is BhartiyaJanata Party (BJP) and the second one
is Indian National Congress (INC). In 2012elections INC won 36 seats out
of total 68 seats. But in 2017 elections the scenario was totally different.
Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha elections of 2017 have been won byBJP
by winning 44 seats. Electoral data has been used to get information about
the results of 2012 and 2017 state vidhansabhaelections. Study presents
the share of winning parties, flipped constituencies, and changing patterns
of electoral results through the analysis of state electoral results.
A SPATIAL LOOK INTO THE
HIMACHAL PRADESH VIDHAN SABHA
ELECTIONS, 2017 Paper ID IJIFR/V6/ E8/ 009 Page No. 16-25 Subject Area Geography
Key Words Electoral geography, Geography of Elections, HP, India, Party politics
1 Diksha Kumari
Masters in Geography,
Lovely Professional University ,
Jalandhar-Punjab (India)
2 Dr. Ripudaman Singh
Professor ,
Department of Geography,
Lovely Professional University ,
Jalandhar-Punjab (India)
17
ISSN: 2347-1697
International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research (IJIFR)
Continuous 69th Edition, Volume - 6, Issue -8, April 2019
25th Edition, Page No: 01-09
Diksha Kumari and Dr. Ripudaman Singh :: A Spatial Look Into The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2017
1. INTRODUCTION Electoral geography or geography of elections deals with the processes and systemsrelated
with the voting behavior, patterns and electoral results in their totality. It is aconstituent
part of political geography, a science which contemplates about improvementof every
political procedure inside geographical space [1]. Domain of every nation is diverse, thus
the inspirations and interests of thegeneral population keep an eye on various elections. It
is the study of human behaviortowards voting patterns of elections in context to particular
time and area.Geographically, the meaning of electoral geography variesfrom time to time
and place to place. In other words, it is the study of the spatial votingpatterns and behavior
of the study of the spatial distribution of political phenomena of votingand related
processes. It looks into the questions of what, where, why and how ofelectoral processes.
What is behind election results and what these results actually mean? Electoral geography
is also known as geography of elections. Geography studies the investigation of
thephysical elements of the earth and its environment, and human action as it effects and
asinfluenced by these, including the movement of population and assets and political
andeconomic phenomenon taking place over it. Political geography, deals with states,
their boundaries, divisions, and possessions.Electoral geography further specializes in
understanding the spatial patterns of voting behavior and the factors controlling it. Various
studies have been undertaken to analyze the spatial patterns and voting behavior in the
elections of India [2], West Bengal [3], Delhi [4], and Punjab [5], to name few. Present
study has been chosen to analyze and comparethe electoral results of Himachal Pradesh
Vidhan Sabha elections. 2017 elections of Himachal Pradesh havebrought a change in the
state politics, so an attempt is made to understand the electoral results.
2. Elections of Himachal Pradesh LegislativeAssembly (Vidhan Sabha) are held in
accordance with Indian constitution. AfterIndependence, Himachal Pradesh was brought
under the Lt. Governor with 36-member Legislative Assembly in 1951. Other hill areas of
the East Punjab were merged with it in1966 and made a Union Territory. In 1970, it was
made a full State. First elections to theAssembly of Lesser Himachal Pradesh were held in
1952, when there were total 36seats [6]. 1970 onwards the State of Himachal Pradesh is
having 4 parliamentary constituencies and 68Vidhan Sabha constituencies (Table 1 and
Fig. 1). During the 2012 state assembly elections, Indian National Congress (INC) won 36
seats and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) won 26 seats, whereas, Himachal LokhitParty
(HLP) could won only 1 seat and independents won 3 seats. Congress government was
formedin 2012 elections. On the other hand, in 2017, election scenario got totally changed,
where BJP won 44 seats and INC could get only 21 seats [7].Present study has been
attempted to look into spatial analysis of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha elections, 2017,
to achieve the objectives to: examine the spatial organization of elections with particular
reference to legislative assembly constituencies of Himachal Pradesh; and find out the
spatial variation in voting patterns in 2017 elections.
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ISSN: 2347-1697
International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research (IJIFR)
Continuous 69th Edition, Volume - 6, Issue -8, April 2019
25th Edition, Page No: 01-09
Diksha Kumari and Dr. Ripudaman Singh :: A Spatial Look Into The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2017
3. Fig 1: Himachal Pradesh Constituencies
4.
5. Source: Election Commission of Himachal Pradesh (Vidhan Sabha Constituencies names given in Table 1).
6.
2. METHODOLOGY
To achieve the objectives, quantitative as well as descriptive research methods have been
used for electoral data analysis. As this study is mainly related to the analysis of Himachal
Pradesh elections of 2017 and its change from previous elections (2012), data have been
taken from various secondary sources such as Chief Electoral Office of Himachal Pradesh
and Election Commission of India, newspapers articles etc. All the information which was
required for this study has been collected and analyzed.
19
ISSN: 2347-1697
International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research (IJIFR)
Continuous 69th Edition, Volume - 6, Issue -8, April 2019
25th Edition, Page No: 01-09
Diksha Kumari and Dr. Ripudaman Singh :: A Spatial Look Into The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2017
International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research (IJIFR)
Continuous 69th Edition, Volume - 6, Issue -8, April 2019
25th Edition, Page No: 01-09
Diksha Kumari and Dr. Ripudaman Singh :: A Spatial Look Into The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2017
Table 4 depicts the comparison of 2012 and 2017 elections, with respect to flipped
constituencies. Out of the total 37 flipped constituencies, that means, won by other party,
25 seats BJP won from INC, and only 5 seats INC won from BJP candidates. Other seven
seats were won by different parties, like two seats were won by independent candidates
from BJP, two seats won by INC from independent candidates, one seat BJP from
independent candidate, one CPM from INC and one INC from HLP. But in a way it was a
win-win situation for BJP to enhance its total seats to 44 in 2017 from 26 in 2012
elections. Fig. 5 depicts the spatial patterns of 37 flipped constituencies and the remaining
retained constituencies. Majority of Vidhan Sabha constituencies falling in Mandi, Shimla
and Kangra Parliamentary constituencies got flipped results, where anti-incumbency and
Modi wave was the strongest.
4. CONCLUSION
Data analysis of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2017 depicts a clear cut
reversal in the electoral results from previous elections held in 2012. Surely, in 2017 BJP
came to power and INC had to serve as the opposition party. In 2012 election INC won 36
seats and formed its government in Himachal Pradesh. But in 2017 elections, scenario got
totally changed. Anti-incumbency has been the major cause of defeat of INC in Himachal
during 2017 elections. In 2017 elections INC could win only 21seats, whereas BJP won 44
seats and independent candidates won only 3 seats. BJP was able to increase its vote share
from 38 percent to more than 64 percent. But, women couldwin only 4 seats out of 68
seats in 2017. Low participation of women in elections is a major reason. Instead of higher
female literacy in the state, lesser women show interest in politics. It is also one of the
reason that very few women fight elections.Anti-incumbency factor has been a strong
variable in replacing the governments in the alternate elections. It has to be analyzed
further, whether, in the long run, this system of changing governments will be beneficial
or harming the states’ interests. Will there be any third alternative in this Hill state? Or
what other shape political course will take in the state in coming times?
5. REFERENCES
[1] Kavianirad, M. and Rosouli, M. (2014) Explanation of relationship between Geography and
Elections (Electoral Geography). Geopolitics Quarterly, Volume: 10, No 4, Winter 2015, pp.
93-108.
[2] Singh, P, (2015) Geography of voting: A case study in Electoral Geography.
InternationalJournal of Informative and Futuristic Research 3(1). pp.10-18.
[3] Khan, N, Rahman, M (2015) Electoral Geography: Spatial Analysis of voting patterns in 2011
Assembly election in West Bengal. International Journal of Information and Futuristic
Research (3). pp. 1179-1177.
[4] Seema (2014) Electoral Geography: A Spatial- Temporal Analysis of Delhi and its Assembly
elections, International journal of Development Research Vol.4, Issue,1, PP.136-143,
January, 2014.
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ISSN: 2347-1697
International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research (IJIFR)
Continuous 69th Edition, Volume - 6, Issue -8, April 2019
25th Edition, Page No: 01-09
Diksha Kumari and Dr. Ripudaman Singh :: A Spatial Look Into The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2017
[5] Thakur, B. and Singh, R.D. (2017) Electoral Geography of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Elections,
2017: A Spatial Analysis, International Journal of Economic Research, Vol. 14, Number 20,
October, 2017: 549-558.
[6] Government of Himachal Pradesh (2018) Statistical Abstract of Himachal Pradesh,
Government Press, Shimla.
[7] Election Commission of Himachal Pradesh (2018) Election Results of Vidhan Sabha
Elections, 2017. Government of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla.
[8] Government of India (2011) Census of India, 2011. District Census Handbooks, Himachal
Pradesh. Registrar General of India, New Delhi.
TO CITE THIS PAPER
Kumari, D. , Singh, R. (2019) :: “A Spatial Look Into The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan
Sabha Elections, 2017” International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research
(ISSN: 2347-1697), Vol. (6) No. (8), April 2019, pp. 16-25, Paper ID: IJIFR/V6/E8/009.
Available online through- http://www.ijifr.com/searchjournal.aspx
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This is certified that the paper entitled
A Spatial Look into the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2017 Authored by
Diksha Kumari Masters in Geography, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar-Punjab (India)
has been accepted & published online in IJIFR continuous 69th edition
Volume 6-Issue 8, April 2019 under Paper ID: IJIFR /V6/E8/009 The mentioned paper is accepted after rigorous evaluation through double blind peer reviewed process.
International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research
A Spatial Look into the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2017 Authored by
Dr. Ripudaman Singh Professor, Department of Geography, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar-Punjab (India)
has been accepted & published online in IJIFR continuous 69th edition
Volume 6-Issue 8, April 2019 under Paper ID: IJIFR /V6/E8/009 The mentioned paper is accepted after rigorous evaluation through double blind peer reviewed process.
International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research
