New Delhi: The general election will be held from April 7 to May 12 in 9 phases. Nation will go to polls on April 7, 9, 10, 12, 17, 24, 30, May 7 and May 12 and Counting for all polls will be held on May 16.
Announcing the election schedule, Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath said, this should not be viewed as phases. They are poll days, he said.
The long election schedule will ensure that security forces can be moved across the country for adequate deployment in sensitive areas. The North Eastern states could go to the polls in the first phase.
814 million people are eligible to vote in this election, over 100 million more than 2009. There are 9,30,000 polling stations in the country.
The model code of conduct comes into force immediately, which means the government cannot make any policy announcements. Election Commission sources however said this would exclude the process to appoint the Lokpal or national anti-graft ombudsman, which has already begun. (Live Updates: Battleground 2014)
This is the first Lok Sabha election in which voters will have the “None of The Above” option if they do not like any of the candidates in their constituency.
More than 800 million people are eligible to vote in this election. The term of the current Lok Sabha ends on June 1 and a new house has to be constituted by 31 May.
The 2009 polls were held in five phases from 16 April to 13 May.
State-wise polling days:
- Andhra Pradesh: April 30, May 7
- Arunachal Pradesh: April 9
- Assam: April 7, 12, 24
- Bihar: April 10, 17, 24, 30, May 7 and 12
- Chhattisgarh: April 10, 17, 24
- Goa: April 17
- Gujarat: – April 30
- Haryana: April 10
- Himachal Pradesh: May 7
- Jammu and Kashmir: April 10, 17, 24, 30, May 7
- Jharkhand – April 10, 17, 24
- Karnataka: April 17
- Kerala: April 10
- Madhya Pradesh: April 10, 17, 24
- Maharashtra: April 10, 17, 24
- Manipur: April 9, 17
- Meghalaya: April 9
- Mizoram: April 9
- Nagaland: April 9
- Odisha: April 10, 17
- Punjab: April 30
- Rajasthan: April 17, 24
- Sikkim: April 12
- Tamil Nadu: April 24
- Tripura: April 7, 12
- Uttar Pradesh: April 10, 17, 24, 30, May 7, 12
- Uttarakhand: May 7
- West Bengal: April 17, 24, 30, May 7, 12
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands: April 10
- Chandigarh: April 10
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli: April 30
- Daman and Diu: April 30
- Lakshadweep: April 10
- NCT/Delhi: April 10
- Puducherry: April 24
Bureau Report
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