Election Commission Announces Schedule for 18th Lok Sabha Elections
In a landmark announcement, the Election Commission of India revealed the schedule for the highly anticipated 18th Lok Sabha elections, marking a significant milestone in the nation's democratic journey.
Feature: The Election Commission on saturday unveiled the schedule for the 543 parliamentary constituencies for the 18th Lok Sabha elections. This monumental democratic exercise, involving a staggering 96.8 crore voters, including 21.5 crore young voters aged between 18 to 29 years old, marks a pivotal moment in India’s political landscape.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his greetings to the entire nation for the upcoming elections through Twitter, stating, “The biggest festival of democracy has begun.”
लोकतंत्र के सबसे बड़े महापर्व का शुभारंभ हो गया है। चुनाव आयोग ने 2024 के लोकसभा चुनाव की तारीखों की घोषणा कर दी है।BJP-NDA इन चुनावों में उतरने के लिए पूरी तरह से तैयार है। सुशासन और जनसेवा के अपने ट्रैक रिकॉर्ड के आधार पर हम जनता-जनार्दन के बीच जाएंगे। मुझे पूरा विश्वास है कि…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 16, 2024
The poll schedule also encompasses four state Assemblies – Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim. Additionally, bypolls to 26 Assembly seats spread across Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Tripura, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu will be conducted.
With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct, a cornerstone of electoral ethics, came into immediate effect, ensuring a level playing field for all parties and candidates.
Addressing the media, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, accompanied by the newly appointed Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, disclosed that elections would be conducted in seven phases, mirroring the 2019 elections.
Spanning from April 19 to June 1, the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will see voters cast their ballots at 10.5 lakh polling stations across the country. The crucial counting of votes is slated for June 4, following the conclusion of the polling phases.
The meticulously planned election process will commence with the first phase of polling on April 19, followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and culminating with the seventh and final phase on June 1.
Notably, the tenure of the 17th Lok Sabha is set to conclude on June 16, underscoring the significance of the upcoming elections in shaping the nation’s governance.
Amidst widespread speculation, there was anticipation regarding the synchronization of polls for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly with the parliamentary election. However, such alignment did not materialize, possibly due to security considerations in the region.
In a separate development, the Supreme Court has mandated the completion of polls for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by September end, further highlighting the intricate electoral landscape of the country.
