2019 Election Date Announcement: Lok Sabha Elections will be held in seven phases.
Lok Sabha elections will begin on April 11 and will be held over seven phases followed by counting of votes on May 23, the Election Commission announced today. 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.
Shortly after the national election dates were announced on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a series of tweets, "The festival of democracy, elections are here." "I urge my fellow Indians to enrich the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with their active participation. I hope this election witnesses a historic turnout. I particularly call upon first time voters to vote in record numbers," tweeted PM Modi.
The term of the present Lok Sabha ends on June 3. As soon as the elections are announced, the model code of conduct will come into force.
The required electronic voting machines and paper trail machines are in place to be deployed in nearly 10 lakh poling stations across 543 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Here are the Updates on Lok Sabha Elections dates announcement:
The schedule of phase 5, 6 and 7 Lok Sabha Elections:
What political leaders said:
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has welcomed the announcement of dates for the national elections.
The Samajwadi Party leader tweeted:
See when your state votes
Phase 1 (April 11)
Andhra Pradesh: 25 seats
Arunachal Pradesh: 2 seats
Assam: 5 seats
Bihar: 4 seats
Chhattisgarh: 1 seat
Jammu and Kashmir: 2 seats
Maharashtra: 7 seats
Manipur: 1 seat
Meghalaya: 2 seats
Mizoram: 1 seat
Nagaland: 1 seat
Odisha: 4 seats
Sikkim: 1 seat
Telangana: 17 seats
Tripura: 1 seat
Uttar Pradesh: 10 seats
Uttarakhand: 5 seats
West Bengal: 2 seats
Andaman and Nicobar Islands: 1 seat
Lakshadweep: 1 seat
Phase 2 (April 18)
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: 39 seats
Tripura: 1 seat
Uttar Pradesh: 8 seats
West Bengal: 3 seats
Puducherry: 1 seat
Phase 3 (April 23)
Assam: 4 seats
Bihar: 5 seats
Chhattisgarh: 7 seats
Gujarat: 26 seats
Goa: 2
Jammu and Kashmir: 1 seat
Karnataka: 14 seats
Kerala: 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)
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)
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)
Bihar: 8 seats
Haryana: 10 seats
Jharkhand: 4 seats
Madhya Pradesh: 8 seats
Uttar Pradesh: 14 seats
West Bengal: 8 seats
Delhi: 7 seats
Phase 7 (May 19)
Bihar: 8 seats
Jharkhand: 3 seats
Madhya Pradesh: 8 seats
Punjab: 13 seats
West Bengal: 9 seats
Chandigarh: 1 seat
Uttar Pradesh: 13 seats
Himachal Pradesh: 4 seats
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana will vote on April 11, Tamil Nadu on April 18
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the people to overthrow the Narendra Modi government in the Lok Sabha elections, beginning April 11.
Calling the Narendra Modi government the "most dictatorial" government in history of the country, he said: "Ultimately back to We the people -the real power of our democracy. Time to throw out the most dictatorial and anti-federal govt in the history of India. Time to seek answers on demonetisation, jobs, destruction of traders n destroying brotherhood amongst different communities".
Lok Sabha polls in northeastern states will be held in three phases in April
The Lok Sabha polls in the eight northeastern states will be held in three phases in April - 11, 18 and 23rd.
While polling in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim will be held in a single phase, polling in Manipur and Tripura will be held in two phases and polling in Assam will be held in three phases.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that the national elections have not been held on time in Jammu and Kashmir since 1996.
In a series of tweets, the National Conference leader criticised the delay for holding assembly polls. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has said that only parliamentary elections will be held for now.
No state polls in Jammu and Kashmir for now, only parliamentary elections, announces Election Commission
States and number of constituencies votingPhase 1 (April 11)
Andhra Pradesh: 25 seats
Arunachal Pradesh: 2 seats
Assam: 5 seats
Bihar: 4 seats
Chhattisgarh: 1 seat
Jammu and Kashmir: 2 seats
Maharashtra: 7 seats
Manipur: 1 seat
Meghalaya: 2 seats
Mizoram: 1 seat
Nagaland: 1 seat
Odisha: 4 seats
Sikkim: 1 seat
Telangana: 17 seats
Tripura: 1 seat
Uttar Pradesh: 10 seats
Uttarakhand: 5 seats
West Bengal: 2 seats
Andaman and Nicobar Islands: 1 seat
Lakshadweep: 1 seat
Phase 2 (April 18)
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: 39 seats
Tripura: 1 seat
Uttar Pradesh: 8 seats
West Bengal: 3 seats
Puducherry: 1 seat
Phase 3 (April 23)
Assam: 4 seats
Bihar: 5 seats
Chhattisgarh: 7 seats
Gujarat: 26 seats
Goa: 2
Jammu and Kashmir: 1 seat
Karnataka: 14 seats
Kerala: 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)
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)
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)
Bihar: 8 seats
Haryana: 10 seats
Jharkhand: 4 seats
Madhya Pradesh: 8 seats
Uttar Pradesh: 14 seats
West Bengal: 8 seats
Delhi: 7 seats
Phase 7 (May 19)
Bihar: 8 seats
Jharkhand: 3 seats
Madhya Pradesh: 8 seats
Punjab: 13 seats
West Bengal: 9 seats
Chandigarh: 1 seat
Uttar Pradesh: 13 seats
Himachal Pradesh: 4 seats
22 states will vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha Polls, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora says.
Phase 5 and 6 voting 6 May and 19 May respectively, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora says.
Phase 2 and 3 voting 18 April and 23 April respectively, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora says.
Lok Sabha elections to be held in 7 phases from April 7, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora says.
Results will be announced on May 23rd, he adds.
Google, Facebook, YouTube have said all political ads will be certified, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora says.
Privacy of people who report violations will be protected and they will be informed of action taken, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora says.
There will be extensive webcasting of sensitive voting booths. All critical events will be videographed, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora says.
Voters can choose NOTA, voters will also be able to see candidates' photos. Ten lakh voting booths will be used this as compared to 9 lakh last time.
10 per cent more voting booths this time, VVPATS in all of them, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora says.
Strictest action will be taken against violations of model code of conduct, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora says.
- We assured minimum facilities at all polling stations.
- Efforts are also being made to make elections comfortable
The Election Commission will ensure free,fair, inclusive polls: CEC
- As you know, 16th Lok Sabha ends on June 3, 2019.
- The Election Commission will ensure free,fair, inclusive polls.
- The scale and complexity of elections has grown over the years.
- We have held meetings with heads of various states, Union Territories
- To ensure smooth conduct of elections, we held discussions with various departments including railways.
Chief Election Commissoner Sunil Arora is addressing the media at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.
In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, the BJP, became the first party in three decades to win a majority on its own; the BJP scooped 282 of the 543 seats in Lok Sabha, where the majority mark is 272. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 336 seats.
Elections for the 543 Lok Sabha seats have to be held by May. The term of the present Lok Sabha ends on June 3.
AAP launches mega campaign in Delhi
Ahead of Lok Sabha elections, the dates for which will be announced by the Election Commission shortly, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched its mega campaign with the demand for full statehood at the centre. The party staged a protest near BJP headquarters in Delhi today. Tomorrow, the party will protest outside Congress headquarters on Akbar Road.
NCP Chief Sharad Pawar's re-entry into politics to be keenly watched in Lok Sabha elections:
Veteran leader Sharad Pawar, who said he has quit electoral politics, will be up for election in the coming Lok Sabha polls, due by May. The 78-year-old will contest from Madha, the constituency he won in 2009.
Mr Pawar - the chief of Nationalist Congress Party -- had announced his retirement from electoral politics in 2012.
First parliamentary election for Andhra Pradesh
The state has 25 parliament and 175 assembly seats
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is making a bid for a second term in power, is also a key interlocutor of the opposition and has been trying to forge a united front against the BJP for months
Punjab Pradesh Congress Screening Committee meets to shortlist candidates
The meeting of Punjab Pradesh Congress Screening Committee, comprising AICC Gen Sec (Organization) KC Venugopal; AICC In-Charge Punjab, Asha Kumari, Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh and PPCC President Sunil Jakhar, has begun.
The meeting will shortlist names of candidates for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and forward the same to the Central Election Committee of AICC for finalization.
Former Chief Election Commissioner of India SY Quraishi on poll dates:
There is much speculation about election dates.
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.
Following was the seat sharing for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections:
Party Seats won Seats contested - Bharatiya Janata Party 282 428
- Indian National Congress 44 464
- All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 37 40
- All India Trinamool Congress 34 131
- Biju Janta Dal 20 21
- Shiv Sena 18 58
- Telugu Desam 16 30
- Telangana Rashtra Samithi 11 17
- Communist Party Of India ( Marxist) 9 93
- Yuvajana Shramik Rythu Congress Party 9 38
In 2014, PM Narendra Modi's BJP bagged majority on its own by winning 282 of the 543 seats in Lok Sabha.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in an election rally in Kendrapara announces 33% quota for women in allocation of Lok Sabha seats for the BJD party: news agency ANI
In 2014, the Election Commission had announced the election schedule on March 5 and the nine-phase electoral exercise was spread across April and May.
While the first phase polling was on April 7, the last phase was on May 12.
The Election Commission of India will announce the dates for the upcoming national elections today at 5 pm.
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Another Congress Lawmaker In Telangana To Join KCR's PartyA week after two of its MLAs left the party and joined the ruling TRS, Congress in Telangana was dealt a further blow when its legislator from Nakrekal, Chirumarthi Lingaiah on Saturday announced that he would join the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.
Gujarat Congress Lawmaker Made A Minister Hours After Joining BJPGujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani Saturday expanded his cabinet by inducting three members, including former Congress lawmaker Jawahar Chavda, who was made a minister a day after he joined the BJP.
BJP lawmaker from Manjalpur of Vadodara district Yogesh Patel and Jamnagar West MLA Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, who had crossed over from Congress, were the other two members inducted into the cabinet.
The Election Commission on Saturday asked political parties across the country to not use photographs of defence personnel on hoardings or posters in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.