Chief Election Commissioner Announces Lok Sabha Poll Dates

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has announced the poll dates for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Announcing the dates, the CEC said that 96.8 crores are the total electors in the country of which 49.7 crore are male voters and 47.1 crore are female voters.

The Election Commission of India revealed plans for conducting Lok Sabha elections across 7 phases, with counting scheduled for June 4. This encompasses all elections, including by-polls, assembly elections and general elections. The current government's term ends on June 16.

Following are the schedule for the seven phases: Phase 1 - April 19, Phase 2 - April 26, Phase 3 - May 7, Phase 4 - May 13, Phase 5 - May 20, Phase 6 - May 25, Phase 7 - June 1. The ECI stated that over 2100 poll observers are set to be deployed for the elections to ensure free and fair elections.

As Lok Sabha elections unfold, here's the breakdown of states and union territories covered in each phase: Phase 1 includes 21 regions, followed by 13 in Phase 2, 12 in Phase 3, 10 in Phase 4, 8 in Phase 5, 7 in Phase 6, and 8 in Phase 7.

Andhra Pradesh - Phase 4 (13 May), Arunachal Pradesh Phase 1 (19 April), Assam - Phase 1, 2 & 3, (19 April, 26 April & 7 May), Bihar - Phase 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (19 April, 26, April, 7 May, 13 May, 20 May, 25 May, 1 June), Chattisgarh - Phase 1, 2 & 3, (19 April, 26 April & 7 May), Goa - Phase 3 (7 May)

Gujarat - Phase 3 (7 May), Haryana - Phase 6 (25 May), Himachal Pradesh - Phase 7 (1 June), Jharkhand - Phase 4, 5, 6, 7 (13 May, 20 May, 25 May, 1 June), Karnataka - Phase 2 & 3 (26 April, 7 May), Kerala - Phase 2 (26 April), Madhya Pradesh - Phase 1, 2, 3, & 4 (19 April, 26 April, 7 May, 13 May)

Maharashtra - Phase 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 (19 April, 26 April, 7 May, 13 May, 20 May), Manipur - Phase 1 & 2 (19 April, 26 April), Meghalaya - Phase 1 (19 April), Mizoram - Phase 1 (19 April), Nagaland - Phase 1 (19 April), Odisha - Phase 4, 5, 6, 7 (13 May, 20 May, 25 May, 1 June)

Punjab - Phase 7 (1 June), Rajasthan - Phase 1 & 2 (19 April, 26 April), Sikkim - Phase 1 (19 April), Tamil Nadu - Phase 1 (19 April), Telangana - Phase 4 (13 May), Tripura - Phase 1 & 2 (19 April, 26 April), Uttar Pradesh - Phase 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (19 April, 26 April, 7 May, 13 May, 20 May, 25 May, 1 June)

Uttarakhand - Phase 1 (19 April), West Bengal - Phase 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (19 April, 26 April, 7 May, 13 May, 20 May, 25 May, 1 June), Andaman and Nicobar Islands - Phase 1 (19 April), Chandigarh - Phase 7 (1 June), Dadar and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu - Phase 3 (7 May), Jammu and Kashmir - Phase 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (19 April, 26 April, 7 May, 13 May, 20 May)

Ladakh - Phase 5 (20 May), Lakshadweep - Phase 1 (19 April), NCT of Delhi - Phase 6 (25 May), Puducherry - Phase 1 (19 April)