NEW DELHI, March 10 - Lok Sabha elections will begin on April 11 and continue for over a month till May 19 across seven phases, followed by counting of votes on May 23, the Election Commission announced on Sunday, kickstarting the countdown for a mega electoral battle where the BJP will pitch for a re-election of the Narendra Modi government amid the Opposition�s efforts for a united fight to unseat it.
The polling will be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 for 543 Lok Sabha seats across the country in which nearly 90 crore voters would be eligible to vote, the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said at a press conference here.
The CEC said 91 constituencies will go for polls in the first phase, 97 in second phase, 115 in third phase, 71 in fourth, 51 in fifth, 59 in sixth and 59 in the seventh phase. Counting of votes for all seven phases would be done on May 23, Arora added.
Assembly elections will also be held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls, the CEC said. However, elections for Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will not to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls, he said citing security reasons. The state has been under Governor�s rule after the ruling alliance between the BJP and People�s Democratic Party fell apart last year.
The National Conference, Congress and other opposition parties slammed the decision to not hold Assembly polls in J&K, while opposition leaders elsewhere, including in West Bengal, also latched onto the Election Commission decision to hold multi-phase elections in their states to slam the government on law and order situation.
Arora said the model code of conduct would come into immediate effect from Sunday and 10 lakh polling stations would be set up this time as against about nine lakh in 2014. Among other restrictions, the model code bars the government from announcing any policy move that may impact voters� decision.
The Election Commission (EC) said the �voter verifiable paper audit trail� (VVPAT) will be used in all polling stations this time.
In 2014, the BJP had won 282 seats out of 543 constituencies in Lok Sabha handing a crushing defeat to the 10-year-rule of the United Progressive Alliance led by the Congress.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek to retain power, the Opposition is seeking to put up a spirited fight to defeat the ruling BJP.
�Best wishes to the Election Commission, all those officials and security personnel who will be on the field, across the length and breadth of India assuring smooth elections. India is very proud of the EC for assiduously organising elections for several years,� Modi tweeted.
In the press briefing, Arora also reassured the nation of the EC�s �solemn resolve and deep commitment to fulfil its constitutional mandate to conduct free, fair and credible elections.�
He said all political advertisements on social media will need pre-certification and that the candidates will have to give details of their social media accounts to the Election Commission.
The election will pit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance against mostly different opposition groupings in various states, including of Congress, Left and regional forces who are continuing to work out a grand alliance to minimise a division of votes against the Modi government.
The BJP has worked out a seat-sharing formula with some new allies and several old partners, by even making concessions in states like Bihar. However, the opposition parties are yet to do so in several states.
After losing three assemblies last year, the BJP believes its Lok Sabha campaign is back on track following decisions like 10 per cent quota for the general category poor, money transfer to farmers and a populist budget.
What has injected further confidence into the NDA fold is the fronting of the nationalist plank in the poll campaign after the Indian Air Force strike on terrorist camps in Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. � PTI
