Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora in a press conference on Sunday at Delhi's Vigyan Bhavan has announced the dates for the high-voltage Lok Sabha elections. The general elections 2019 will be spread across seven phases this time.
The model code of conduct has been enforced from today itself and anyone found violating it will be dealt with strictly, CEC Sunil Arora told media persons.
Assembly elections for Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha, will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. The dates were not announced.
Citing the recent violent incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, the election commission has decided to not conduct any elections in the state.
Here is a ten-point guide on the Election Commission's press conference today.
Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora announced that all digital content posted by political parties and their candidates will fall under the purview of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner: We have tried to cover left-wing affected areas of various states at one go (in #LokSabhaElections2019). Once the left-wing affected states get covered which require much more force, then those forces can move to other areas. pic.twitter.com/kEcenhjrTF
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2019
Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir to go for polling in three phases due to security reasons: EC.
Sunil Arora, CEC: Commission has also directed political parties/candidates to desist from using environmentally hazardous publicity material&promote usage of eco friendly substances for preparation of election campaign material, this is a kind of appeal to everybody. pic.twitter.com/dG3FPeJpkH
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2019
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.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 10, 2019
A social media (SM) expert is also going to be part of Media Certification and Monitoring Committee; all candidates are required to furnish details of social media accounts; all expenditure on SM campaigning to be part of election expenditure account: Sunil Arora
Assembly elections will be held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Odisha
EC cites security concerns, says Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections will not happen simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.
CEC: Based on input, constraint of availability of central forces&other logistics, requirement of forces for security of candidates in wake of recent violence & keeping other challenges in mind EC has decided at this stage to announce only schedule of Parliament election in J&K. pic.twitter.com/oy4Io6FONm
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2019
115 constituencies will go for polls in third phase, 71 in fourth phase, 51 in fifth phase, 59 in sixth and 59 in seventh phase: Election Commission
Phase 1 - 91 consti. in 20 states to go to polls
— PIB India (@PIB_India) March 10, 2019
phase 2 - 97 consti. in 13 states
phase 3 - 115 consti. in 14 states
phase 4 - 71 consti. in 9 states
phase 5 - 51 consti. in 7 states
phase 6 - 59 consti. in 7 states
phase 7 - 59 consti. in 8 states#LokSabhaElection2019 pic.twitter.com/GNvcMMV3a5
Two phases: Karnataka, Manipur, Rajasthan, Tripura
Three phases: Assam, Chhattisgarh
Four phases: Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha
Five phases: Jammu and Kashmir
Seven phases: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal
Something is wrong with this announcement. The ECI has counted 7 or 8 LS seats for my state but J&K only has SIX seats. #confused
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 10, 2019
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Andaman and Nicobar, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, New Delhi, Pondicherry and Chandigarh will go for a single phase.
Voter-verifiable paper audit trails will be used along with electronic voting machines in all the booths. A total of 17.4 lakh VVPAT units will be used, said Sunil Arora
There will be approximately 10 lakh polling stations in this Lok Sabha Elections as compared to 9 lakh polling stations in 2014: Chief Election Commissioner
90 crore people will vote this year; the number of total voters has gone up from 81 crore to 90 crore. 1.5 crore new voters registered in the age group of 18 to 19: CEC Sunil Arora
Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora: The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into effect from today itself in the entire country. Any violation will be dealt with in the strictest manner. pic.twitter.com/doAnY6MKQB
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2019
1.5 crore new voters registered in the age group of 18 to 19. Also, there are 90 crore voters this year and 8.4 crore new voters: CEC Sunil Arora
Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora details the steps taken to prepare for the polls: He says, "We had a discussion with the chief ministers of states and all the Union Territories. We also held talks with several key departments to ensure smooth conduction of polls."
#WATCH live from Delhi: Election Commission of India addresses a press conference. https://t.co/E0yEp9LHYq
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2019
The press conference has begun.
#WATCH live from Delhi: Election Commission of India addresses a press conference. https://t.co/E0yEp9LHYq
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2019
Sanjay Singh tweeted: "Does the Election Commission operate from the BJP office? In 2014, the election dates were announced on March 5, and in five days, PM Modi had concluded his campaign.Today, after his public address in Ghaziabad, the poll panel has decided to announce the dates for this year's elections."
क्या चुनाव आयोग भाजपा कार्यालय से संचालित होता है?2014 में 5 मार्च को चुनाव की घोषणा हुई,5 दिनो में मोदी जी ने कई रैली, सभा कर लिया, आज ग़ाज़ीयाबाद का भाषण के बाद चुनाव की घोषणा,आचार सहिता के बाद पोस्टर तो उतारने ही पड़ेंगे अब आप कह रहे हैं भाजपा सेना के शौर्य का इस्तेमाल न करें
— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) March 10, 2019
Election Commission has asked all political parties and their candidates to avoid displaying photographs of defence personnel on posters used during pre-poll campaigning and for propaganda purposes. READ HERE
On Sunday, BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that he would keep his promise of 33 per cent reservation for women in the allocation of Lok Sabha seats, in the upcoming polls. READ HERE
SY Quraishi says the last three general elections (2004, 2009, 2014) were held were held from April 20 to May 10 (four phases), April 16 to May 13 (five phases) and April 7 to May 12 (nine phases), respectively.
The dates on which the schedule was announced was :
— Dr. S.Y. Quraishi (@DrSYQuraishi) March 9, 2019
2004 - Feb 29,2004
2009 - March 2,2009
2014 - March 5,2014
Due date for constitution of new house :
2004 - June 1
2009 - May 30
2014 - June 3
2019 - June 2 https://t.co/U1HEH9JqRz
SY Quraishi says the last three general elections (2004, 2009, 2014) were held were held from April 20 to May 10 (four phases), April 16 to May 13 (five phases) and April 7 to May 12 (nine phases), respectively.
There is much speculation about election dates.
— Dr. S.Y. Quraishi (@DrSYQuraishi) March 9, 2019
Last three elections (2004, 2009 & 2014) were held from 20 Apr to 10 May (4 phases), 16 April to 13 May (5 phases) and 7 April to 12 May (9 phases), respectively.
The window available this time is still similar. But not much.
Lok Sabha elections will see more money, violence and hatred, said former Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishnamurthy. READ HERE
Is the Election Commission waiting for the Prime Minister’s “official” travel programs to conclude before announcing dates for General Elections?
— Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) March 4, 2019
in 2014, the EC had announced the polling schedule on March 5. The results were declared on 16 May 2014. The BJP got an absolute majority with 282 seats out of 543, 166 more than 2009.