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New Delhi: INDIA’s biggest festival called The Elections has got off to a cracking start today (March 16, 2024). The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.
The entire country is set to witness a festive atmosphere right from today till June 4 and even after a new government is installed. The tenure of the present Lok Sabha will come to an end on June 16 and before that a new House will have to be put in place.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP had won a landslide victory bagging 303 seats. Like the 2014 elections, the oldest party of the country, Congress, performed pathetically managing only 52 seats.
Announcing The Election Festival of India’s Democracy, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the model code of conduct has come into force with immediate effect from the announcement of the poll schedule.
Mr Kumar who indulged in ”some sher shayari and punchlines,” said assembly elections in Sikkim and Arunchal Pradesh will be held on April 19. In Andhra Pradesh, the assembly polls will be held on May 13. And the elections to Odisha assembly will be from May 13 to June 1 which will be in four phases. The tenure of the four state assemblies ends on June 1 and therefore the polls are being held along with Lok Sabha polls.
Mr Kumar said in the first phase of the elections, as many as 102 constituencies will go to the polls. And subsequently in six phases, 89, 94, 96, 49, 57 and 57 seats will go to polls.
In a strong signal to the probable trouble-makers, the CES said it was working hard to fight the 4 Ms of elections Money, Muscle, Misinformation and Model Code of Conduct violations. ”We are working towards combating the 4 Ms to ensure free and fair elections,” said Mr Kumar who did not look tense or confused while announcing election schedule. In fact, he was at ease with himself as he narrated the entire schedule and the minute details to a perfect T.
The highlight of the 2024 general elections of India is the fact that as staggering 97 crore people are eligible to vote.
Voters who are above the age of 85 will be allowed to vote from home.
The polling booths will have all basic facilities like drinking water, toilets and ramps.
Mr Kumar said they are also trying to tackle the freebies as they have asked banks to send daily reports on any suspicious transactions. ”They will have to monitor the demand for cash in the chests,” he said.
In Maharashtra where 48 seats are up for grabs, the polling will be held in five phases. The first polling will be on April 19 when five Vidarbha seats will go to polls. The second will be on April 26. The third will be on May 7, the fourth on May 13 and the fifth on May 20. Baramati will go to polls on May 7. Pune city, Maval and Shirur Lok Sabha seats will vote on May 13.
