Election Commission of India

As the world will witness the general elections of the world’s largest democracy, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a much-anticipated schedule for the 18th Lok Sabha elections of India.

The elections will take place from Apr 19 in seven phases.

• Phase 1 - 21 states - Apr 19

• Phase 2 - 13 states - Apr 26

• Phase 3 - 12 states - May 7 (Polling date for Gujarat)

• Phase 4 - 10 states - May 13

• Phase 5 - 8 states - May 20

• Phase 6 - 7 states - May 25

• Phase 7 - 8 states - June 1

• Counting on June 4

State-wise polling dates:

102 constituencies in Phase 1 (Apr 19) - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

89 constituencies in Phase 2 (Apr 26) - Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir.

94 constituencies in Phase 3 (May 7) - Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Jammu and Kashmir.

96 constituencies in Phase 4 (May 13) - Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh. Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir.

49 constituencies in Phase 5 (May 20) - Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

57 constituencies in Phase 6 (May 25) - Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and NCT of Delhi.

57 constituencies in Phase 7 (June 1) - Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Chandigarh.

Along with the schedule announcement, a model code of conduct (MCC) is to be implemented across the country till the results.

By-election for Gujarat’s assembly seats will also take place coinciding with the general elections, as well as assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh (May 13), Odisha (May 13 & 20), Arunachal Pradesh (Apr 19), and Sikkim (Apr 19), simultaneously.

22 states will vote on a single polling date, 4 states will have two poll dates, 2 states will have three poll dates, 3 states will have four poll dates, 2 states will have five poll dates, and 3 states will have seven poll dates. 

A press conference was organised for the same by ECI at 3 p.m. today.

“2024 is an important year in the global land of democracy as over five dozen nations will witness elections from different hemispheres across the world," said the chief election commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar in the presser.

He also added, “Our team is now complete, we are fully prepared for the biggest festival of Indian democracy.”

ECI notified that this elections will witness 96.8 cr voters across the country, 1.2 cr young voters, 47.1 cr women voters, which outnumbers men, 2.18 lakh voters aged over 100, and 1.82 cr first-time voters.

10.5 lakh polling stations have been set up, and 1.5 cr election personnel are deployed, while 55 lakh EVMs are to be used.

They have also appointed 2,100 observers to oversee the district-wise electoral procedure.

Water, toilet, shed, wheel-chair and other basic facilities will be provided at the polling stations, as per the electoral body.

Also read:

Gujarat assembly by-polls: ECI to unveil schedule alongside Lok Sabha dates

Central agencies to be involved in monitoring of Lok Sabha elections: CEC

Authorities on high alert in Gujarat for Lok Sabha polls