Seven-phase Lok Sabha polls to begin April 11, counting on May 23: EC
Seven-phase Lok Sabha polls to begin April 11, counting on May 23: EC
New Delhi, Mar 10 (PTI) : Lok Sabha elections will begin on
April 11 and polling would be held over seven phases through May 19,
followed by counting of all votes on May 23, the Election Commission
announced on Sunday.
Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal, Odisha and
Sikkim will also be held simultaneously, the Election Commission (EC) said.
However, elections for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, which was dissolved
after the ruling coalition between the BJP and the PDP fell apart, will not
be held along with the Lok Sabha polls.
Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said the model code
of conduct would come into immediate effect from Sunday and 10 lakhs polling
stations would be set up this time as against about nine lakhs in 2014.
Nearly 90 crore voters would be eligible to vote for 543 Lok Sabha
constituencies across the country.
The election will pit the BJP-led National Democratic
Alliance against several opposition parties, including the Congress, the
Left and regional forces who are continuing to work out a grand alliance to
minimise a division of votes against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led ruling
combine.
The BJP has succeeded in working out seat-sharing formula
with some new allies and several old partners, by even making concessions to
them in states like Bihar. However, opposition parties are yet to arrive at
a deal in several states.
While the NDA hopes to make history by coming back to
power for a second full term, the Opposition wants to unseat the Modi
government by raising questions on its performance on a host of issues,
including economic growth, employment, corruption and social harmony.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee had led the NDA to back to back Lok
Sabha wins in 1998 and 1999 general elections but he was at the helm of only
one full-term government.
Announcing the schedule for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the
Election Commission said the 'voter verifiable paper audit trail' (VVPAT)
will be used in all polling stations this time.
Seven-phase Lok Sabha polls to begin April 11, counting on May 23
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, Arora said.
Seven-phase Lok Sabha polls to begin April 11
In the first phase, 91 constituencies will to go for polls,
97 constituencies in the second phase, 115 constituencies in the third, 71
in fourth phase, 51 in fifth phase, 59 in sixth and 59 in the seventh phase.
With the model code of conduct for elections coming into
immediate effect, the government cannot announce any policy move that may
impact voters' decision.
Arora said all political advertisements on social media will
need precertification.
In 2014, when the BJP swept to power, the Lok Sabha
elections were held across nine phases beginning April 7 and ending May 9.
The counting of votes had taken place on May 16.
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The total contestants in fray were 8,251, with an average of
15 candidates in each constituency. However, deposit was forfeited in case
of 7,000 contestants.
A total of over 55 crore voters (66.3 per cent) exercised
their vote, while there were 9.27 lakh polling stations. There were nearly
60 lakh 'NOTA' votes.
Out of total 543 elected candidates, only 62 were women from
668 who had contested.
After suffering losses in assembly polls in three states
recently, the BJP believes that its Lok Sabha poll campaign is back on track
due to a host of decisions, including 10 per cent quota for the general
category poor, money transfer to farmers and presentation of 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 Pulwama
terror attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel, that was followed by the
Indian Air Force' strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan.
The BJP has been citing 2016 surgical strikes on terror
launch pads and these air strikes to assert that only a government headed by
Modi will be capable of taking on Pakistan over terrorism, as it has sought
to corner the Congress on the issue.
Many political pundits feel the prime minister has already
launched a full-fledged campaign accusing opposition parties of coming
together for the sole purpose of removing him while he is working to "remove
poverty, corruption and terrorism".
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He had led the NDA to a sweeping victory in 2014 as it won
336 of 543 Lok Sabha seats, reducing the incumbent Congress to its lowest
total of 44 seats. The BJP on its own won a majority, a first for the party,
by bagging 282 seats. PTI NAB KR DSP MPB