New Delhi: Lok Sabha elections for 2019 will be held from April 11 to May 19 and after the over month-long nation-wide exercise to be held in seven phases across 543 parliamentary constituencies, the results will be declared on May 23, the Election Commission announced on Sunday, kick-starting the countdown for a mega electoral battle wherein the BJP will pitch for a re-election of the Narendra Modi government amid the Opposition’s efforts for a united fight to unseat it.
Voting for electing the 17th Lok Sabha will be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 in which nearly 90 crore voters, including 1.8 crore first-time electorate aged between 18 and 19 years, are expected to take part, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said at a packed press conference here.
With the announcement of the poll schedule, the model code of conduct came into immediate effect.
The CEC said that along with the parliamentary polls, Assembly elections will also be held in four states — Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha.
Contrary to expectations, no elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been without an elected government since June last year when the BJP pulled out of its alliance with the PDP.
Flanked by two election commissioners, Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra, Mr Arora said, “While finalising the election dates, exam schedules of state exam boards, CBSE, various festivals and harvest season are also adequately factored in.”
The CEC said that the voter verifiable paper audit trail’ (VVPAT) will be used in all 10 lakh polling stations this time.
Soon after the announcement of election dates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Best wishes to the Election Commission, all those officials and security personnel who will be on the field, across the length and breadth of India assuring smooth elections. India is very proud of the EC for assiduously organising elections for several years.”
Polls will be held in a single phase in 20 states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Telangana, Sikkim, Tamilnadu and Uttarakhand, Andaman & Nicobar, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
