The Election Commission of India announced dates for the much-awaited 2019 general elections. Announcing dates for Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Sunday said that polls will be held in seven phases across the country, beginning April 11, with the counting to take place on May 23.
Arora said the model code of conduct would come into immediate effect from Sunday and 10 lakh polling stations would be set up this time as against nine lakhs in 2014.
About 900 million voters would be eligible for the polls, with 15 million between the ages of 18 and 19 years.
The Election Commission said 91 constituencies spread across 20 states will see polling on April 11, 97 constituencies in 13 states on April 18, 115 seats in 14 states on April 23, 71 seats in 9 states on April 29, 51 seats in 7 states on May 6, 59 seats in 7 states on May 12 and 59 constituencies in 8 states on May 19.
The poll process will be stretched across seven phases in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. In 22 states, it will be held on a single day.
The year 2014 was the first time since independence when a non-Congress party was voted to power with a majority. The BJP won 282 of the 543 seats. The voter turnout at 66.4 percent was also the highest in India’s history.
