16 March,2024 04:12 PM IST | Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
CEC Rajiv Kumar/ PTI
The Election Commission of India announced that counting votes of Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held on June 4, 2024. The results will be announced on the same day. The poll body announced that the voting across India will be held in seven phases with gazette notification for the first phase coming into effect on March 20 and the polling will be held on April 19, 2024.
The ECI stated that in the first phase will be held in 21 states and union territories; similarly, in the second phase, 13 states and UTs will be voting on April 26. Meanwhile, in phase 3, 12 states and UTs will be voting on May 7 followed by 10 states voting on May 10 in phase 4. The Commission then said that polls for phases 5, 6 and 7 will be held on May 20, May 26 and June 1 respectively.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19 simultaneous to phase 1 of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Meanwhile, elections in Andhra Pradesh will be held on May 13. He added that elections to Odisha assembly will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
Kumar, during a press conference, said bye-polls will also be held for 26 assembly constituencies alongside Lok Sabha elections 2024.
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CEC Rajiv Kumar on Saturday also announced that more than 97 crore electors are eligible to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 and asked all Indians to use their rights. The official said that the Election Commission will be setting up 10.5 lakh voting stations across the country.
Addressing a press conference to announce the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Kumar said the poll authority is preparing to set up 10.5 lakh polling stations across the country.
"We are fully prepared and I request the voters to get inked. This is a historic opportunity for all of us," he said accompanied by two new election commissioners, Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
Kumar highlighted the logistical magnitude, saying, "We have 97 crore registered voters, over 10.5 lakh polling stations manned by 1.5 crore personnel, and 55 lakh EVMs."
He stated that the Commission had overseen 17 Lok Sabha elections, 16 Presidential elections, and nearly 400 assembly elections.
Kumar, explaining the voter demographics, said that 49.72 crore of the 97.8 crore eligible voters are men and 47.1 crore are women. Additionally, there are 1.82 crore first-time voters.
