With this, the Model Code of Conduct will now come into effect. The poll schedule for Assembly elections in four states was also announced by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
Assembly elections will be held in Andhra Pradesh on May 13, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on April 19. Odisha will vote in two phases on May 13 and May 20.
Bypolls on 26 Assembly seats will also be held along with the Lok Sabha polls.
Nearly 96.8 crore people are eligible to cast their votes in the upcoming polls at over 12 lakh polling stations.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in India, the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, secured a landslide victory, winning 303 seats out of the total 542 contested seats. The party's performance was particularly remarkable in states like Uttar Pradesh, where they won 62 out of 80 seats, and solidified its position as the dominant political force in the country.
Addressing the press briefing, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, nearly 97 crore people are eligible to cast vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls at 10.5 lakh polling stations. More than 55 lakh electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used.
Upper limit for spending of Lok Sabha candidates at ₹90 lakh : CEC
Arun Goel was very distinguished team member, we must respect if he had personal reasons to quit: CEC Rajiv Kumar
Dissent is encouraged within the four walls of the commission: CEC
One constituency in Manipur will have polls twice: CEC
There are multiple instances where EVMs have led to a change in governments across states: CEC
Courts have struck down questions / concerns on EVMs, courts have also started imposing penalties on misleading questions/ cases relating to EVMs: CEC
Smaller political parties have come into existence because we carry out polls through EVMs; even other political parties know that EVMs are important in free and fair polls: CEC
Over 40 cases relating to EVMs have been struck down by courts across India: CEC
How it stacks up
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal to have polls in all seven phases
Phase 7 on June 1 Phase 6 polls on May 25 Phase 5 - May 20 date of poll Phase 4 on May 13
Phase 3 polls on May 7
April 19: First phase of elections 21 states go to polls
543 Lok Sabha seats General - 412 SC - 84 ST - 47
Sikkim, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh - Assembly elections of these states will be held simultaneously with Parliamentary elections
26 assembly constituencies across states where by- elections will take place : CEC
Electoral machinery to be randomised in the presence of observers : CEC
Handing over the baton to the voters now, will be ruthless in dealing with violence : CEC
Around 537 unregistered political parties have been taken out of the electoral / political space : CEC