New Delhi: The Election Commission has announced that the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will be held between April 11 and May 19 in seven phases. The counting of votes will be held on May 23. The Model Code of Conduct for parties and governments comes into force with immediate effect, CEC Sunil Arora said. This means the government cannot make any policy announcements. The term of the present Lok Sabha ends on June 3.  Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Sikkim assembly polls will be held with corresponding dates of the general elections. Assembly elections in J&K  delayed due to security reasons, said Arora. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal will see Lok Sabha elections spread over all seven phases.

Arora informed 91 constituencies will go to polls in first phase, 97 constituencies in second phase. 115 constituencies to go for polls in third phase, 71 in fourth phase, 51 in fifth phase, 59 in sixth and 59 in seventh phase.

 Phase 1 (April 11) - Total (91 seats)

Andhra (25), Arunachal (2), Assam (5), Bihar (4), Chhattisgarh (1), J&K (2), Maharashtra (7), Manipur (1), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Odisha (4), Sikkim (1), Telangana (17), Tripura (1), UP (8), Uttarakhand (5), West Bengal (2), Andaman (1), Lakshadweep (1)

Phase 2 (April 18) - Total: (97 seats)

Assam (5), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (3), J&K (2), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (10), Manipur (1), Odisha (5), Tamil Nadu (39), Tripura (1), UP (8), West Bengal (3), Puducherry (1)

Phase 3 (April 23) - Total:  (115 seats)

Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Gujarat (26), Goa (2), J&K (1), Karnataka (14), Kerala (20), Maharashtra (14), Odisha (6), UP (10), West Bengal (5), Dadra and Nagar Haveli (1), Daman and Diu (1)

Phase 4 (April 29) -  Total: (71 seats)

Bihar (5), J&K (1), Jharkhand (3), MP (6), Maharashtra (17), Odisha (6), Rajasthan (13), UP (13), West Bengal (8)

Phase 5 (May 6) -  Total: (51 seats)

Bihar (5), J&K (2), Jharkhand (4), MP (7), Rajasthan (12), UP (14), West Bengal (7)

Phase 6 (May 12) - Total: (59 seats)

Bihar (8), Haryana (10), Jharkhand (4), MP (8), UP (14), West Bengal (8), Delhi-NCR (7)

Phase 7 (May 19) - Total: (59 seats)

Bihar (8), Jharkhand (3), MP (8), Punjab (13), West Bengal (9), Chandigarh (1), UP (13), Himachal (4)

State-wise poll details: 

Andaman & Nicobar - April 11
Andhra Pradesh - April 11
Arunachal Pradesh - April 11
Assam - April 11, 18, 23
Bihar - April 11,18, 23, 29, May 6, 12, 19
Chandigarh - May 19
Chhattisgarh - April 11, 18, 23
Dadra & Nagar Haveli - April 23
Daman and Diu - April 23
Delhi - May 12
Goa - April 23
Gujarat - April 23
Haryana - May 12
Himachal Pradesh - May 19
Jamu & Kashmir - April 11,18,23,29, May 6
Jharkhand - April 29, May 6, May 12, May 19
Karnataka - April 18, 23
Kerala - April 23
Lakshadweep - April 11
Madhya Prdesh - April 29, May 6, May 12, May 19
Maharashtra - April 11, 18, 23, 29
Manipur - April 11, 18
Meghalaya - April 11
Mizoram - April 11
Nagaland - April 11
Odisha - April 11, 18, 23, 29
Puducherry - April 18
Punjab - May 19
Rajasthan - April 29, May 6
Sikkim - April 11
Tamil Nadu - April 18
Telangana - April 11
tripura - April 11, 18
Uttar Pradesh - April 11, 18, 23, 29, May 12, 19
Uttarakhand - April 11
West Bengal - Apruil 11, 18, 23, 29, May 6, 12, 19

900 million people will this time compared to 814 million in 2014. The 2014 polls were held in nine phases from 7 April to 12 May. In the last general elections, BJP secured a thumping majority, winning 282 of the total 543 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress suffered one of their worst defeats plummeting down to 44 seats. AIADMK emerged third largest party winning 37 seats, while TMC and BJP got 34 and 20 seats respectively. In terms of vote share percentage, BJP secured 31.3% votes, Congress won 19.5%, ADMK got 3.3%, AITC 3.9% while BJD secured 1.7% votes.
In terms of the major alliance, NDA had clinched a whopping 336 seats, while the ruling UPA fell to dismal 60 seats. Other parties collectively managed to secure 147 seats.

The overall voter turnout at the 2014 Lok Sabha elections was 66.4 percent