Lok Sabha elections dates announced: Here's a ten-point guide to the Election Commission's briefing

Here is a ten-point guide for the Election Commission's press conference for the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections schedule.
Graphics on the Lok Sabha Polls 2019 schedule. (Vijesh CK | ENS)
Graphics on the Lok Sabha Polls 2019 schedule. (Vijesh CK | ENS)

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 Sunday, kick-starting the countdown for a mega electoral battle where the BJP will pitch for a re-election of the Modi government amid the Opposition's efforts for a united fight to unseat it.

HERE ARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ELECTION COMMISSION'S BRIEFING:

  • Dates: The first phase will be held on April 11, second on April 18, third on April 23 and fourth on April 29, fifth on May 6, sixth on May 12 and seventh phase on May 19. Counting of votes for all seven phases covering 543 Lok Sabha constituencies would take place on May 23.

  • State polls: Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will also be held simultaneously. The dates and the schedule were not announced.

  • J&K polls deferred: Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections will not be held along with the Lok Sabha polls due to security concerns.

  • Figures: 90 crore voters are eligible to vote for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies across the country this year. Total voters numbers have gone up from 81 crore to 90 crore. 1.5 crore new voters in the age group of 18 to 19. Also, There will be approximately 10 lakh polling stations this election season as compared to 9 lakh polling stations in 2014. 

  • VVPAT: 'Voter-verifiable paper audit trail' will be used in all polling stations this time.

  • Model code of conduct: All political leaders will now be under the scanner as the MCC has officially come into force from Sunday. READ MORE HERE

  • Social media: All digital content posted by political parties and their candidates will fall under the purview of the Model Code of Conduct.

  • Anantnag: Anantnag seat in Jammu and Kashmir to go for polling in three phases due to security reasons. The rest of the state has polling divided into five phases.

  • Eco-friendly touch: Political parties have been asked to avoid using environmentally hazardous materials for election campaigning.

  1. Here is the schedule for all states across the seven phases:  

Phase 1 (April 11): 91 constituencies and 20 States

Andhra Pradesh: All 25 seats 

Arunachal Pradesh: All 2 seats
Assam: 5 seats
Bihar: 4 seats
Chhattisgarh: 1 seat
Jammu and Kashmir: 2 seats
Maharashtra: 7 seats
Manipur: 1 seat
Meghalaya: All 2 seats
Mizoram: 1 seat
Nagaland: 1 seat
Odisha: 4 seats
Sikkim: 1 seat
Telangana: All 17 seats
Tripura: 1 seat
Uttar Pradesh: 10 seats
Uttarakhand: All  5 seats
West Bengal: 2 seats
Andaman and Nicobar Islands: 1 seat
Lakshadweep: 1 seat

Phase 2 (April 18): 97 constituencies and 13 states

Assam: 5 seats
Bihar: 5 seats
Chhattisgarh: 3 seats
Jammu and Kashmir: 2 seats
Karnataka: 14 seats
Maharashtra: 10 seats
Manipur: 1 seat
Odisha: 5 seats
Tamil Nadu: All 39 seats
Tripura: 1 seat
Uttar Pradesh: 8 seats
West Bengal: 3 seats
Puducherry: 1 seat

Phase 3 (April 23): 115 constituencies and 14 states

Assam: 4 seats
Bihar: 5 seats
Chhattisgarh: 7 seats
Gujarat: All 26 seats
Goa: All 2 seats
Jammu and Kashmir: 1 seat
Karnataka: 14 seats
Kerala: All 20 seats
Maharashtra: 14 seats
Odisha: 6 seats
Uttar Pradesh: 10 seats
West Bengal: 5 seats
Dadra and Nagar Haveli: 1 seat
Daman and Diu: 1 seat

Phase 4 (April 29): 71 constituencies and 9 states

Bihar: 5 seats
Jammu and Kashmir: 1 seat
Jharkhand: 3 seats
Madhya Pradesh: 6 seats
Maharashtra: 17 seats
Odisha: 6 seats
Rajasthan: 13 seats
Uttar Pradesh: 13 seats
West Bengal: 8 seats

Phase 5 (May 6): 51 constituencies and 7 states

Bihar: 5 seats
Jammu and Kashmir: 2 seats
Jharkhand: 4 seats
Madhya Pradesh: 7 seats
Rajasthan: 12 seats
Uttar Pradesh: 14 seats
West Bengal: 7 seats

Phase 6 (May 12): 59 constituencies and 7 states

Bihar: 8 seats
Haryana: All 10 seats
Jharkhand: 4 seats
Madhya Pradesh: 8 seats
Uttar Pradesh: 14 seats
West Bengal: 8 seats
Delhi: All 7 seats

Phase 7 (May 19): 59 constituencies and 8 states

Bihar: 8 seats
Jharkhand: 3 seats
Madhya Pradesh: 8 seats
Punjab: All 13 seats
West Bengal: 9 seats
Chandigarh: 1 seat
Uttar Pradesh: 13 seats
Himachal Pradesh: All 4 seats

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