Social Media and Electoral Politics in India: A Comparative Analysis of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

This article examines the growing the role of social media in India's electoral politics by comparing the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha General Sabha elections. Social media has evolved from a supplementary tool to a crucial factor in shaping political campaign, voter engagement and political discourse. With platforms like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and You Tube, political parties especially the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress have leveraged digital strategies for voter outreach, targeted messaging and mobilization. The study highlights the shift from mass communication in 2019 to data driven personalized voter engagement in 2024 driven by analytics, artificial inelegance, and influencer-led campaign. It also explores the growing challenges posed by misinformation, fake news and deep fake content which have become increasingly sophisticated within the context of theoretical framework. The role of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and social media platforms in regulating digital campaign and combating disinformation is also assessed. By comparing these elections, the study identifies trend in digital political engagements and their impact on electoral outcomes. It concludes with recommendations for policy makers and digital planforms to ensure transparency, accountability and ethical use of social media in elections, safeguarding democratic integrity in India's digital era.