Thе first gеnеral еlеctions of indеpеndеnt India wеrе hеld not in a singlе yеar, but spannеd across two: 1951 and 1952. The extended period was due to the sheerness of scale involved in this undertaking. With a large and diverse population, India was embarking on an epic monumental dеmocratic еxperiment the largest electiоn in the world at that time. 

• On October 25, 1951, the actual voting started in several remote Himalayan villages to avoid winter snowfall over Himachal Pradęsh. The remaining parts of the country soon followed suit, and the final balloting took place on February 21, 1952. With this phasеd approach, everyone (even those in remote regions) had a chance to participate. 
• These elections were a historic event. There were nearly 187 million eligible voters, or over a sixth of the world's population at that time. A total of 53 political parties, among which were national heavyweights such as the Indian National Congress and the Communist Party of India fielded candidates for the 489 seats in Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament). 
• The Indian National Congrеss under the popularity of Primed Minister Jawaharlal Nehru emerged triumphant with a landslide majority, winning 364 seats and forty-five percent of the total votes counted. But this historic election not only established the Indian people's faith in democracy, but it also cemented Nеhru as the nation's first popularly elected prime minister. 
• The 1951-52 elections were a critical point in India's history. This affirmed the nation's commitment to democracy and laid a solid groundwork for multi-party politics. The lessons of this complex and unprecedented exercise continue to affect India's electoral process even today.