The World’s largest Democracy will go for polls in seven phases between 19 April to 1 June 2024 to elect 543 representatives to the 18th Lok Sabha. Simultaneously with the General Elections, the polls of four State Legislative Assembly elections and Bye Elections to 21 Assembly Constituencies will also be held.
Speaking at the press conference at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar said that the Election Commission of India remains committed “to maintain purity of elections and to deliver free, fair, transparent, peaceful, inclusive, accessible, ethical and participative elections in the entire country” and promised to deliver a national election that will remain “a beckon for electoral democracies across the world.”
Kumar said that the General Elections 2024 is a historic opportunity when Indians will together express their will once again and informed that the mammoth exercise will involve 96.88 crore voters, 1.5 crore polling officials, 10.5 lakh polling stations and 55 lakh Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
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The Election Commission of India also announced today that simultaneous with the Parliamentary elections the State Legislative Assembly elections will take place in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh on 19 April, and in Andhra Pradesh on 13 May. The elections to the Odisha Assembly will be held in two phases on 13 May and 25 May.
The dates for the Bye Elections for 26 Assembly Constituencies in 13 States were also announced today.
The Vote Counting Day for the Lok Sabha polls, State Legislative Assemblies and the Bye Elections is 4th June 2024.
Seated between freshly appointed Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr SS Sandhu, CEC Rajiv Kumar said that EC has prepared the Schedule for the elections after taking into consideration all relevant aspects like climatic conditions, academic calendar, board examination, major festivals, prevailing law and order situation in the State, availability of Central Armed Police Forces, time needed for movement, transportation and timely deployment of forces and in-depth assessment of other relevant ground realities.
Further, he said that EC has directed the Central, State and District Level Election Machinery to be completely impartial, fearless, objective, and independent from any influence whatsoever. Kumar appealed for proactive support of all political parties, media organizations, civil societies, youth and community organizations and all voters to join hands with the Commission and wholeheartedly participate in poll process.
Finally, the Election Commission calls upon all voters to reinforce the democratic ethos of the nation by turning up at the polling stations and exercise their right to vote in an informed and ethical manner.
