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Guwahati, March 16: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has unveiled the schedule for the much-anticipated Lok Sabha Elections 2024, alongside elections for various State Assemblies.
Scheduled from April 19, the Lok Sabha election dates mark the commencement of a rigorous electoral process, invoking the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Under this code, political parties, candidates, and government entities are required to adhere to strict guidelines outlined by the Election Commission of India (ECI), regulating speeches, announcements, election manifestos, and other related activities.
The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be conducted in 7 phases, with the process expected to conclude by June 6. Counting for all elections, including by-elections, assembly elections, and general elections, will take place on June 4.
Phase 1 voting on April 19
Phase 2 voting on April 26
Phase 3 voting on May 7
Phase 4 voting on May 13
Phase 5 voting on May 20
Phase 6 voting on May 25
Phase 7 voting on June 1
Elections in Assam will be held in the first three phases, as announced by the ECI during a press conference held on Saturday.
Schedule for Assembly elections: Andhra Pradesh election Date: May 13; Arunachal Pradesh- April 19; Sikkim-April 19; Odisha-Phase 1: May 13, Phase 2: May 20
This announcement follows the recent appointment of two new Election Commissioners, Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, in the wake of Arun Goel's unexpected resignation and Anup Chandra Pandey's retirement.
In the previous Lok Sabha elections, held in 2019, the ECI announced the schedule on March 10, with polling conducted in seven phases across the country starting from April 11. The counting of votes took place on May 23.
In the upcoming general election, a total of 543 Parliamentary constituencies are set to go to polls. Alongside the national elections, four states—Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim—will also vote in Assembly elections.
With 97 crore eligible voters and over 10.5 lakh polling stations nationwide, the upcoming polls are poised to be a significant event in India's democratic process.
The tenure of the present Lok Sabha ends on June 16 and a new House will have to be constituted before that. The tenure of Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Odisha assemblies will also end in June.
According to the ECI till date 17 general elections and 400 assembly elections were held so far.
The contest features prominent players such as the ruling BJP, aiming for a third term, the primary Opposition party Congress, and numerous influential regional parties exploring their electoral prospects. In response to the BJP's dominance, Congress and several regional forces have united under the banner of INDIA to mount a formidable challenge.
The ruling BJP, which secured 303 seats in the 2019 elections, alongside its coalition partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), expresses confidence in securing a similar victory in the upcoming polls.
