, ▁represented ▁ 2 7 ▁Indian ▁states ▁and ▁union ▁territ ories . ▁These ▁ 5 4 2 ▁constitu encies ▁remained ▁same ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Indian ▁general ▁elections ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Lok ▁Sab ha . ▁ ▁The ▁Emer gency ▁declared ▁by ▁the ▁Ind ira ▁Gand hi ▁led ▁Congress ▁government ▁was ▁the ▁core ▁issue ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁elections . ▁Civil ▁libert ies ▁were ▁susp ended ▁during ▁the ▁national ▁emer gency ▁from ▁ 2 5 ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁to ▁ 2 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Ind ira ▁Gand hi ▁assumed ▁vast ▁powers . ▁ ▁Gand hi ▁had ▁become ▁extremely ▁un pop ular ▁for ▁her ▁decision ▁and ▁paid ▁for ▁it ▁during ▁the ▁elections . ▁Mrs . ▁Gand hi , ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁January , ▁called ▁for ▁fresh ▁elections ▁and ▁released ▁all ▁political ▁prisoners . ▁On ▁ 2 0 ▁January ▁Four ▁O pp osition ▁parties , ▁the ▁Congress ▁( Organ isation ), ▁the ▁Jan ▁Sang h , ▁the ▁B har ati ya ▁Lok ▁Dal ▁and ▁the ▁Social ist ▁Party , ▁decided ▁to ▁fight ▁the ▁elections ▁under ▁a ▁single ▁b anner ▁called ▁the ▁Jan ata ▁al liance . ▁The ▁al liance ▁used ▁the ▁symbol ▁allocated ▁to ▁Bh art i ya ▁Lok ▁dal ▁as ▁their ▁symbol ▁on ▁the ▁ball ot ▁papers . ▁The ▁votes ▁were ▁cast ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 ▁March . ▁The ▁counting ▁of ▁votes ▁started ▁on ▁ 2 0 - M arch ▁and ▁the