ECI announces schedule of 2019 polls; LS polls begin on April 11

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) today announced the schedule of Lok Sabha and Assembly polls to be held in various states.

Addressing a press conference at Vigyan Bhawan here, the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora announced that polls will be conducted in seven phases.

While the polling will start across the country on April 11, it will end on May 19. Counting and declaration of results will be done on May 23.

The polls will be conducted in 1st Phase on 11th April, 2nd Phase on 18th April, 3rd Phase on 23rd April, 4th Phase on 29th April, 5th Phase on 6th May, 6th Phase on 12th May and 7th Phase on 19th May.

Election Commissioners Sushil Chandra and Ashok Lavasa were also present on the occasion.

PHASE 1 of Lok Sabha Election 2019: key dates

Issue of gazette notification: 18th March

Last day of nomination: 25th March

Date for scrutiny of nomination: 26th March

Last date of withdrawal: 28th March

Date of Poll: 11th April

PHASE 2:

Issue of gazette notification: 19th March

Last day of nomination: 26th March

Date for scrutiny of nomination: 27th March

Last date of withdrawal: 29th March

Date of Poll: 18th April

PHASE 3:

Issue of gazette notification: 28th March

Last day of nomination: 4th April

Date for scrutiny of nomination: 5th April

Last date of withdrawal: 8th April

Date of Poll: 23rd April

PHASE 4:

Date of issue of gazette notification: April 2

Date of polls: April 29

Date of counting: May 23

PHASE 5:

Date of issue of gazette notification: April 10

Date of polls: May 6

PHASE 6:

Date of issue of gazette notification: April 16

Date of polls: May 12

PHASE 7:

Date of polls: May 19

With this announcement, model code of conduct comes into force from this evening, prohibiting political parties to announce any government schemes.

To check names in the electoral list, one can send SMS to 1950 for necessary information, Arora informed.

On the other hand, electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter verifiable paper trail machines (VVPAT) have been kept ready to be installed at nearly 10 lakh polling stations across 543 Lok Sabha constituencies.

During the last election, around 9 lakh polling stations were set up.

Similar arrangements have also been made for Assembly polls to be held in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim. While election is also due in Jammu and Kashmir, the ECI will take a decision on Assembly polls after taking the law and order situation into consideration. The LS polls will be held in five phases.

The ECI has prohibited use of loud speakers from 10 pm to 6 am.

On Saturday, the ECI had asked the political parties to desist from displaying photographs of defence personnel in their poll campaign in view of a picture on social media showing image of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in a political poster.

In a letter to political parties written on March 9, the EC referred to its December 2013 guidelines in which it had called upon all political parties to advise their candidates and leaders “to desist from displaying photographs of defence personnel or photographs of functions involving defence personnel in advertisements or as part of their election campaign”.