General elections were held in India on 24, 27 and 28 December 1984 soon after the assassination of previous Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, though the vote in Assam and Punjab was delayed until 1985 due to ongoing insurgency.

[2] Voting was held immediately after the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in November.

Congress (Indira) received significant support due to an outpouring of public grief at Gandhi's death.

Voting was delayed in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, while the Assam movement and sporadic violence in Mizoram by the Mizo National Front as a part of its uprising against the government saw voting being delayed in these states.

The elections in Punjab were held in September 1985 after the signing of the Rajiv–Longowal Accord between Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Akali leader Harchand Singh Longowal on 24 July 1985.