Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar has made an announcement during a press conference that the Lok Sabha election will be held in 7 phases starting from April 19. The election will spread over 44 days.
The seven-phase elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on April 19 and then on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The entire election process, from the announcement of polls on Saturday to the declaration of results, lasts 82 days.
Moreover, the election commission also announced assembly election dates for Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha which will be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polling
The polling in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19, and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13. Voting in the Odisha assembly will be conducted in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
Phase 1: Election on April 19 will be held in 102 constituencies. This will include 21 States and Union Territories.
Phase 2: On April 26 election will take place in 89 constituencies. Second phase will cover 12 States and Union Territories.
Phase 3: Elections will be held on May 7 in 94 constituencies. The third phase will cover 12 States and Union Territories.
Phase 4: This phase on May 13 will include 96 constituencies. Fourth phase will cover 10 States and Union Territories.
Phase 5: On May 20, 49 constituencies will be covered. The fifth phase will include 8 States and Union Territories.
Phase 6: Elections held on May 25 in this phase include 57 constituencies. The sixth phase will cover 7 States and Union territories.
Phase 7: Elections will be held on June 1 in 57 constituencies. The seventh phase will cover 8 States and Union Territories.
The model code of conduct has come into force starting the evening of March 16 and will remain in force even after the polling on June 1 till the entire process of counting is completed on June 4.
State and UT will either vote in one poll or in many phases:
-States and UTs with one poll date: Total – 22
Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar island, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
– States and UTs with two poll dates. Total- 4
Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tripura, Manipur
States and UTs with three poll dates. Total- 2
Chhattisgarh, Assam
States and UTs with four poll dates. Total-3
Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand
States and UTs with five poll dates. Total-2
Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir
States and UTs with seven poll dates. Total- 3
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal
CEC Rajiv Kumar said that strict directions have been given to District Magistrates and SPs to ensure level playing field.
CAPF will be deployed adequately & assisted by Integrated control rooms in each district.
Check posts & drones to ensure vigil.
These measures will be adopted for a smooth election process avoiding any possibilities of violence.
