Lok Sabha Elections to be Held in Seven Phases from April 19 to June 1, Results on June 4
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Mar 16: The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced a seven-phase Lok Sabha election schedule beginning from April 19 to June 1 with the counting of votes to be taken up all over the country on June 4.
Announcing the commencement of the world’s largest democratic exercise, the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said simultaneous elections along with the 543 Lok Sabha seats would be held for four state Assemblies of Sikkim, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The results of the Assembly elections would also be announced on June 4. However, Jammu and Kashmir, which has been under President’s Rule since 2018, was not on the list.
By-elections will also be held for 26 assembly seats across multiple states, including Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu along with the Lok Sabha elections.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into force all over the country along with the announcement of the poll schedule. Mr Kumar, announcing the dates, said the seven phases of polling would be held on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1 and counting after three days on June 4. The CEC said elections to 102 constituencies will take place in first phase, 89 in second phase, 94 in third phase, 96 in fourth, 49 in fifth, 57 in sixth and 57 in seventh phase.
He also sent out a strong message on the circulation of fake news on social media, saying political parties should ensure responsible social media behaviour — “verify before you amplify.”
“Fake news will be dealt with severely as per existing laws, Section 79 (3)(B) of the IT Act empowers nodal officers in each state to remove unlawful content,” he said. The other strong message was on violation of model code in terms of hate speeches. “There should be issue-based campaign, no hate speeches, no speeches along caste or religious lines, no criticism of anyone’s personal lives,” he said.
The media must clarify when they carry political adverts, those cannot masquerade as news, he said. Individual messages regarding this would be sent to the candidates, he added. The commission has employed 2,100 advisors to keep an eye on these issues and strong action will be taken regarding this, he said.
Voters above the age of 85 years and persons with disabilities, with 40 per cent disability can vote from home, Mr Kumar said. Around 82 lakh voter are above the age of 85, he said.
Most States will go to polls in the first phase beginning on April 19. AS many as 22 states and union territories will go for single phase polling including Arunachal Pradesh, A&N island, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, DDN&H, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, Uttarakhand)
Four states Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tripura and Manipur will have two poll dates, two states Chhattisgarh and Assam will have three polling dates, three states Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand will have four poll dates, two states Maharashtra and Jammu & Kashmir will have five poll sates and three states and three states Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & West Bengal will figure in all the seven phase of polling.
For the simultaneous state Assembly elections, the voting for Arunachal Pradesh’s 60 constituencies and Sikkim’s 30 assembly seats will take place on April 19 in a single phase. The voting for assembly seats in Odisha will be held across four phases between May 13 and June 1. The first round of voting will coincide with phase 4 of the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission announced on Friday. The state will go to polls in four phases — May 13, May 20 (phase 5), May 25 (phase 6) and June 1 (phase 7). The voting for Andhra Pradesh’s 175 assembly seats will take place on May 13. The counting of votes for the Assembly elections in all four states will take place on June 4.
When asked on when one could expect Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said: “EC stands committed to holding Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir soon after the Lok Sabha elections.”
