1982 Haryana Legislative Assembly election

Elections to the Haryana Legislative Assembly were held in May 1982. No party gained a majority of seats.

1982 Haryana Legislative Assembly election

May 1982
All 90 seats to the Haryana Legislative Assembly 45 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Bhajan Lal Devi Lal Party INC Lok Dal Last election 3 seats New Party Seats won 36 31 Seat change 33 New Party Popular vote 1,845,297 1,172,149 Percentage 37.58% 23.87% Swing 20.43% New Party
Chief Minister before election Bhajan Lal INC Elected Chief Minister Bhajan Lal INC

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats
Indian National Congress	1,845,297	37.58	36
Lok Dal	1,172,149	23.87	31
Bharatiya Janata Party	376,604	7.67	6
Janata Party	157,224	3.29	1
Communist Party of India	36,642	0.75	0
Communist Party of India (Marxist)	18,616	0.38	0
Indian National Congress (Socialist)	398	0.01	0
Independents	1,303,414	26.54	16
Invalid/blank votes	87,091	–	–
Total	4,997,435	100	90
Registered voters/turnout	7,152,281	69.87	–
Source: Electoral Commission of India

Controversy

In 1982 election, the INC emerged as a single largest party with 36 seats but INLD and BJP has pre poll alliance and got 37 seats in total. As no party has clear cut majority, it resulted in a hung assembly and was left to governor's discretion to whom to call upon to form government.

G.D. Tapase (Governor of Haryana) first called on Devi Lal on 22 May 1982 (leader of INLD or LKD + BJP alliance) to prove his majority by morning of 24 May. But in mean time, Bhajan Lal fresh from his re election as leader of the INC+Individuals(36+16=52) met the governor and was sworn in as Chief Minister.

But in election of 1987, haryana people gave a clear cut majority to LKD or INLD and BJP alliance with overwhelming majority of 76(60+16) out of 90 assembly seats whereas INC suffers a humiliating defeat and won just 5 out of 90 seats as compared 36 seats in last assemble election.