Lok Sabha Elections HIGHLIGHTS: Hemant Soren's Sister-In-Law, Sita Soren Resigns From JMM
Lok Sabha Polls HIGHLIGHTS: Please follow this space for all the latest news and information about the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren's sister-in-law, Sita Soren has resigned from the party, sources tell ABP News.
Bihar govt removes home department chief following EC directive
MNS Chief Raj Thackeray reaches Delhi, ANI reported. The visit comes amid speculation that he may join the NDA and is reported to meet senior leader Amit Shah over the same tonight.
Congress leader Rohan Gupta withdraws his candidature from the Ahmedabad East constituency citing his father's medical condition.
Former IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar joins the BRS Party in the presence of former Telangana CM KCR.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar arrives in Delhi. He is expected to meet the top BJP leadership tomorrow, PTI reported.
Earlier today, the NDA finalised its seat-sharing formula in Bihar for Lok Sabha elections, announcing the BJP will contest 17 constituencies, the JD(U) 16 and Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) five.
PMK decided to ally with the BJP. Regarding constituencies and candidates, PMK founder Ramadoss will make an announcement the day after tomorrow: PMK General Secretary Vadivel Ravanan (ANI)
Amid reports that the BJP would give its ally JD(S) only two seats in Karnataka for the Lok Sabha election, the regional party's state President H D Kumaraswamy expressed unhappiness about it on Monday and said he has faith that his party would be given three-to-four seats.
The former chief minister said his party leaders have asked him to communicate to the BJP leadership the need to treat the JD(S) respectfully and make them understand its strength in at least 18 Lok Sabha segments. A meeting of JD(S) core committee members, observers to all the Lok Sabha constituencies, district presidents, and sitting and former MLAs was held on Monday in the presence of the party's national President H D Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy. "I will not speak until there is an official announcement. I have not asked for six or seven seats. Since the day discussions began between both of us, we have asked for three-to-four seats," Kumaraswamy said in response to a question about reports that the BJP may allot just two seats to the JD(S).
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said the BJP knows the strength of the JD(S), and he has faith that they will give three-to-four seats to his party. "To take two seats, should I make so much effort? Do I have to make so many adjustments? In Hassan and Mandya, even now I can say our candidates can win if we go independently, and if there is a triangular contest, we can win easily," he added. (PTI)
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar today interacted with 36 IFS Officer Trainees of the 2023 batch on the ECI's role & functions and its collaboration with other Election Management Bodies/ Organisations: Election Commission of India
Lovely Mohan, wife of gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan, joins JDU, ANI reported.
On NDA seat sharing in Bihar and LJP to contest 5 seats, party's national president Chirag Paswan says, "I would like to thank PM Modi for the way he kept the respect of our party. Thanks to all the friends in the NDA, the easiness with which the seat-sharing has been done and the sacrifices every party has made to strengthen the alliance is commendable. We will together work to achieve the vision of PM Modi to win all 40 seats. LJP will contest in Jamui, Hajipur, Khagaria, Samastipur and Vaishali... When my father (Ram Vilas Paswan) passed away, the responsibility was on my uncle (Pashupati Kumar Paras) to hold the party and family together, and my father wherever he is today must have been sad to see that the party and the symbol that he had chosen is still under freeze." (ANI)
Congress-RJD meeting to discuss seat-sharing postponed
Chirag Paswan will contest from Hajipur Lok Sabha seat: Bihar LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Raju Tiwari (PTI)
Hajipur Lok Sabha seat given to Chirag Paswan's party in NDA seat-sharing deal for Bihar: BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde (PTI)
"We have around 35,000 polling stations in the state. In addition to this, we are likely to get around 400 auxiliary polling stations. All the arrangements are being made for polling day," says Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj. The state will vote on May 13.
Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) to contest 5 of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar: NDA announcement
PM Modi doesn't like my words, twists them: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after attack on him over his reference to 'Shakti'.
Shivamogga, Karnataka: PM Narendra Modi says, "4 June ko inko pata lag jayega ki Shakti ko lalkarne ka matlab kya hota hai. Congress is a party that will go to any extent to gain power. The British have left, but the Congress has not left the British mentality of divide and rule...Congress first divided the country, divided based on caste, based on community, and divided people on the basis of religion, region and language, and to gain power, Congress also divided the country, but still, Congress with its divisive mentality is not satisfied with this. Congress has again started playing the dangerous game of dividing the country. Now they have also started speaking openly about their intentions, recently the Congress MP from Karnataka has given a statement about dividing the country once again. Instead of throwing such an MP out of the party, the Congress party is protecting him. Karnataka will never allow such politics and such conspiracies to succeed." (ANI)
BSP MP Sangeeta Azad, party leader Azad Ari Mardan and Supreme Court lawyer Seema Samridhi (Kushwaha) join the BJP, in Delhi, ANI reported.
Your role bigger in achieving 'Chaar June ko Chaar Sau Paar': PM Narendra Modi at rally in Karnataka's Shivamogga (PTI)
Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai says, " BJP is not talking about electoral bonds, they hid a lot of things in the past 10 years, how they had misused central agencies, conducted raids and collected donations. Even goons don't do this type of vasooli. Now the truth is out. According to me nobody in this country has ever done such a big scam, by misusing central agencies. BJP needs to tell the truth to the people and because of this fear, BJP is trying to send everyone behind bars so that nobody will ask any question. BJP can get political leaders locked up but not people, they will seek answers" (ANI)
Leaders of Congress and DMK including Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and state Congress President K. Selvaperunthagai held a meeting to discuss seat sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Lok Sabha elections 2024: "'Abki baar 400 paar' - this is not just a slogan but a 'sankalp', and the people of Delhi will help in fulfilling this 'sankalp'," says BJP leader Bansuri Swaraj at a press conference attended by party's all seven Delhi Lok Sabha candidates.
The Election Commission of India issued an order on Monday to remove the Home Secretary in six states namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Additionally, the Secretary of the General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have also been removed. Election Commission has also taken the necessary action to remove the Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal, reported ANI quoting sources as saying.
The poll body has also removed Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and Additional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners. Secretary GAD Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh who are holding charge in respective CM’s Office have also been removed by the ECI, the report added.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be in Delhi today for the seat sharing talks with NDA while Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav will also reach the national capital to finalise seat sharing deal with I.N.D.I.A bloc.
On seat-sharing formula of the MVA partners, NCP leader Clyde Castro said, "Election (schedule) has been announced, and the candidates will soon be declared as well. You should also ask the Mahayuti alliance why they haven't declared their candidates yet."
Addressing a public address in Telangana's Jagtial, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the BRS and Congress saying, "It is BRS who has misused people's faith, formed government & then betrayed their trust. For 10 years, after its formation, Telangana was ruthlessly looted by BRS. And now, Congress has made Telangana its 'personal ATM'."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached Telangana's Jagtial to address a public rally.
Workers of the Youth Congres stage a protest outside the party's Karnataka office in Bengaluru demanding a ticket for Youth Congress President Mohammed Nalpad from Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha Constituency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore today. He will also address a rally in Karnataka's Shimoga and Telangana's Jagtial.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya and state BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra participated in the party's South Lok Sabha Constituency Election Office inauguration in Bengaluru on Sunday.
“The biggest message given today in this programme is of togetherness and love. All the members of the INDIA alliance have taken the pledge to implement Rahul Gandhi’s slogan of ‘nafrat ke bazar mein mohabbat ki dukan khol raha hoon. This was a historic rally’,” says Congress leader Imran Pratapgarhi (PTI)
"The decision of the Supreme Court is welcomed. The BJP should clarify how much they have earned through this scam. The accounts of the Congress party are being seized but the Income Tax is not taking action against the BJP for earning thousands of crores through illegal bonds," Congress leader Sachin Pilot said while speaking to the media in Mumbai.
"The accounts of the BJP should be seized," the Congress leader said. (ANI)
Congress MP Rajeev Shukla says, " After the declaration of election dates, the whole INDIA alliance is united and will strongly contest the elections...we discussed all the key issues (at the rally) (ANI)
"We had to undertake this yatra because the communication system of the country, including media and social media, is not in the hands of the country. Issues that concern the public like umemployment, violence, inflation, farmers' issues, etc. are not being shown. To attract the attention of the country, we had to walk 4,000 kms," says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (PTI)
Mahatma Gandhi gave ''Quit India'' call from Mumbai, I.N.D.I.A. leaders should from Mumbai vow to oust BJP from power: Sharad Pawar (PTI)
BJP people afraid of "Gandhi" in Rahul Gandhi’s name: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti at INDIA leaders’ rally in Mumbai
We have to keep India safe for all people, irrespective of religion: Ex-Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah at Mumbai rally
I.N.D.I.A. alliance will form next govt at Centre: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin at bloc’s rally in Mumbai
"INDIA bloc will form truly secular and inclusive government at Centre," he added. (PTI)
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will not attend Rahul Gandhi's rally in Mumbai. In his letter addressed to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, he wrote, "Today marks the conclusion of your Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai. Only a few can undertake such a journey. Best wishes to your strong resolve. You initiated this journey from Manipur, which is boiling due to the failures of the BJP government. You have sent a strong message against the authoritarian government from the Northeast. Throughout the entire journey, you have met people from every section of society, including farmers, youth, women, and the elderly, and you have come face to face with their problems."
"The Election Commission has announced the elections yesterday, and the nomination process in Uttar Pradesh begins from 20th March. Due to the preparations for this, I am unable to attend the concluding program of the journey. I am not just hopeful but fully confident that the people, including farmers, youth, backward classes, Dalits, and women, will uproot the anti-people BJP in this election. The real success of this journey will be BJP's defeat in this election," he added.
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will not attend Rahul Gandhi's rally in Mumbai as he is down with viral fever: Congress leader and former Kerala LoP Ramesh Chennithala (ANI)
Addressing a public gathering in Palnadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "In NDA we take everyone along, but on the other hand there is Congress party which has only one agenda - to use and throw the people of the alliance. Today Congress may have formed INDI alliance, but their thinking remains the same." (ANI)
"Both, Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan, are working day and night for the rights of people and the development of Andhra Pradesh. The NDA's aim is to develop Andhra Pradesh in order to become a developed nation. The development of Andhra Pradesh will boost with double-engine government," says PM Modi, addressing a public rally in Palnadu, Andhra Pradesh.
"During our govt's third term, country will take many more big decisions," he remarked. (PTI)
NDA moves with both regional aspirations and national progress, says PM Modi at rally in Andhra Pradesh. (PTI)
With the blessing of Tridev (the three Gods), India will take bigger decisions in party's third term of being in office. This time, the election results will come out on June 4. The entire nation is now saying, '4 June ko, 400 paar': PM Modi in Andhra
Addressing a public gathering in Palnadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "See this coincidence, this time the results of the elections are going to be declared on 4th June. The whole country is saying, '400 paar'. '400 paar' for developed India, '400 paar' for Andhra Pradesh'..." (ANI)
Congress leader Ashok Gehlot arrives in Mumbai to attend I.N.D.I.A. alliance rally and says, " This rally is a start and the results are going to be shocking...this time, the results of the Parliament elections will be shocking...seat-sharing formula will be decided soon. The whole country is shaken by the electoral bond scam" (ANI)
Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan addresses a public gathering in Palnadu, says, "In 2024, with the blessings of Vijayawada's goddess Kanaka Durga Devi, the NDA will form the government. Under PM Modi's leadership, the country is growing. Modi has introduced digital payments. However, YSRCP is not interested in digital payments. Jagan is a businessman who has looted sand and earned money through liquor. Once again, PM Modi will assume power thrice. Andhra Pradesh has become the capital of ganja in the country. Andhra Pradesh turned into the new drug capital of the country." (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan attend a public gathering in Andhra Pradesh's Palnadu.
RJD leader and former Bihar Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav arrives in Mumbai to attend the INDIA alliance rally in Shivaji Park
He says, " Election dates have been announced...we have all come to Mumbai today, Rahul Gandhi had sent invitation...we will speak to people on key issues...like unemployment, inflation, farmers' problems and the way central agencies are being misused, we speak on those issues" (ANI)
Congress leader and former Kerala LoP Ramesh Chennithala says, " Today is a very important day, Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is ending, all members of INDIA alliance will attend...we will move forward with full strength. They (BJP) just keep saying '400 paar' but this time we will win and INDIA alliance will form the govt..." (ANI)
DMK received Rs 656.5 crore through electoral bonds, including Rs 509 crore from lottery king Santiago Martin's Future Gaming: EC data
SP got Rs 14.05 crore via electoral bonds, Akali Dal Rs 7.26 crore, AIADMK Rs 6.05 crore, AIADMK Rs 50 lakh: EC data
BRS fourth largest recipient through electoral bonds, encashed bonds worth Rs 1,322 crore: EC data
Nagpur, Maharashtra | On being re-elected for the post of Sarkaryavah at RSS Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), Dattatreya Hosabale says, "RSS has not thought anything about this subject (Electoral bonds) It has not even been discussed here (in Pratinidhi Sabah), because Electoral bonds is an experiment, such experiments keep happening, there should be checks and balances...Electoral bonds have not come suddenly today, it has happened before also, it has been brought as an experiment..." (ANI)
Congress redeemed a total of Rs 1,334.35 crore through electoral bonds: EC data
Trinamool Congress received Rs 1,397 crore through electoral bonds, second largest recipient after BJP: EC data
BJD encashed electoral bonds worth Rs 944.5 crore, YSR Congress Rs 442.8 crore, TDP Rs 181.35 crore: EC data
BJP encashed electoral bonds totalling Rs 6,986.5 crore; maximum Rs 2,555 crore received in 2019-20: EC data
On the announcement of Lok Sabha poll dates, former Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav says, "The biggest festival of democracy has begun; we are very confident and fully prepared. This time Bihar will deliver a surprising result....Why I have used the word 'surprising' because of the undercurrent in the people, particularly of Bihar...What has the central government done for the people of the state in the last 10 years? Bihar did not get any special package...The inflation and farmers' issue still remain the same..." (ANI)
On being asked about no polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal says, "Shocking, but that is expected. They will have no polls in J&K and what is even more shocking is that Sonam Wangchuk, who is on fast, wants to have 'district hill status' and they are not even providing that..." (ANI)
Patna: On seat-sharing in Bihar, State Minister Santosh Kumar Suman says, "The seat-sharing formality is done, the announcement is left. I think that within 24-48 hours, the declaration is possible. The talks have been held with each and everyone and everybody has taken into consideration..." (ANI)
After the Election Commission announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections, officials in strife-torn Manipur have issued orders directing licensed gun holders to deposit their arms at the nearest police stations to prevent any untoward incident during the elections. The order has been issued by District Magistrates in the northeastern state to "ensure no untoward incidents occur during the conduct of elections. Polling for the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur will be held on April 19 and 26.
READ | Manipur: Licensed Gun Holders Directed To Deposit Arms At Police Stations Ahead Of Lok Sabha Polls
In a significant move, former Congress leader and MLA from Badrinath assembly, Rajendra Bhandari, aligns with BJP in the presence of Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
Sena (UBT) Member of Legislative Council Aamshya Padavi switches allegiance to Shiv Sena, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde overseeing the joining ceremony.
Former Uttarakhand forest minister Harak Singh Rawat's daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain has quit the Congress citing personal reasons.
In a letter addressed to the state Congress president, Gusain on Saturday said she was resigning from the primary membership of the party for personal reasons.
A former beauty pageant winner, Gusain had unsuccessfully contested the 2022 assembly polls from Lansdowne constituency on a Congress ticket soon after joining the party.
Gusain had won the Femina Miss India Grand International title in 2017.
The development comes close on the heels of severe indictment of her father-in-law by the Supreme Court in connection with the illegal felling of trees and constructions carried out during his tenure as forest minister in the Corbet Tiger Reserve.
Harak Singh Rawat was dropped from Pushkar Singh Dhami's cabinet and expelled from the BJP ahead of the 2022 assembly polls for anti-party activities. (PTI Input)
UP Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party president Om Prakash Rajbhar told PTI: "The elections will be contested on issues of development and law and order. The people will agree that riots used to take place (in UP) under the rule of the previous Congress-Samajwadi Party government. The Samajwadi Party government was called a 'gunda sarkar' and FIRs were not registered in police stations".
The landscape of the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra has taken an intriguing turn with significant splits within key political entities such as the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The development had injected fresh dynamics into the battle for the state's 48 Lok Sabha seats, amidst ongoing concerns over issues like unemployment and farmer suicides.
- Maharashtra's Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to unfold across five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20, with the vote count slated for June 4.
- In the previous 2019 elections, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance secured a dominant victory, clinching 41 out of the 48 seats. However, since then, the Shiv Sena has splintered, with a substantial faction of the party aligning itself closely with the BJP.
- Simultaneously, the Nationalist Congress Party has also witnessed internal discord, notably with Ajit Pawar's departure to join the ruling coalition in the state, under the leadership of Eknath Shinde.
- During the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP emerged as the leading party in Maharashtra, securing 23 seats, closely followed by the undivided Shiv Sena with 18 seats.
- The undivided NCP managed to secure victories on four seats, with the Congress securing one seat. Additionally, the AIMIM and an Independent candidate collectively accounted for the remaining two seats.
- The fractures within these prominent political parties have added a layer of uncertainty to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, setting the stage for a compelling electoral contest.
Follow ABP Live's 'Elections 2024' page for all the latest stories on the much-awaited general elections.
The Malwa belt in Punjab is always considered the biggest and politically influential region particularly during assembly elections, where if a party secures maximum assembly seats in this belt, it can easily form the government in the state.
Punjab can broadly be divided into three regions — Malwa, Majha and Doaba.
Beyond the Sutlej river, it is called the Malwa region, the Doaba region falls between the Beas and Sutlej rivers, while Majha falls between the Ravi and the Beas rivers.
As far as the parliamentary polls are concerned, eight seats – Ludhiana, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Faridkot (SC), Fatehgarh Sahib (SC), Patiala, Anandpur Sahib and Sangrur fall in the Malwa region.
Two seats — Hoshairpur (SC) and Jalandhar (SC) - are in the Doaba region. The Majha region broadly comprises three parliamentary seats — Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Khadoor Sahib.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress won eight parliamentary seats in Punjab, bucking the pro-Modi trend seen across the northern and central India in that general election. (PTI Input)
"People have understood that the BJP only tries to befool them. Anti-incumbency is growing in Uttar Pradesh against the Centre and the state government," said Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav on the 2024 Lok Sabha election schedule.
The BJP is looking to hoist the saffron flag yet again in all five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand, having won from all the parliamentary constituencies in the state in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections.
While two Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand -- Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and Almora -- are located in Kumaon region, the remaining three seats of Haridwar, Tehri Garhwal and Garhwal (Pauri) are in the Garhwal region.
Union Minister of state for tourism and defence Ajay Bhatt had won the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar seat in 2019, defeating former chief minister Harish Rawat by 3,39,096 votes. His victory margin was the biggest of the four other winning BJP candidates. (PTI Input)
As many as 4.92 crore persons, including 11.32 lakh first-timers and 10,322 centenarians, will be eligible to exercise their franchise for the 26 seats in Gujarat in the Lok Sabha elections, a senior Election Commission official has said.
Elections to all the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies and bypolls to five assembly seats in Gujarat will be held on May 7, with the nomination process beginning on April 12, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P Bharathi said here on Saturday.
Of the total registered voters, 2.54 crore are men and 2.39 crore are women. The state has 1,503 transgender voters, Bharathi said.
“The number of voters for the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat has increased by 43,23,789 compared to the 2019 elections. A total 4,94,49,469 voters are registered as per the final electoral roll published on January 5, 2024,” Bharathi told mediapersons. (PTI Input)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, along with party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and actor Swara Bhaskar, commence the 'Jan Nyay Padyatra' from the historical Mani Bhavan Sangrahalaya in Mumbai.
Sharing details of the poll schedule, the CEC said that voting in the sixth phase will be held in 57 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and some regions of north. The gazette notification will be issued on April 29 and the polling will take place on May 25. In the sixth phase, voting will take place in 57 constituencies spread across seven states/UTs. Polling in two more states/UTs would be completed with this phase.
READ | Lok Sabha Election Schedule 2024: Phase 6 To Witness Voting On 57 Seats. Check Details Here
Sharing details of the poll schedule, the CEC said voting in the fifth phase will be held across 49 constituencies in 8 states and 1 Union Territory on May 20.
READ | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: EC Announces Poll Schedule Of Fifth Phase — Check Details Here
In the fourth phase, voting will be conducted across 10 states and Union Territories on May 13, 2024. Polling across constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will take place entirely in this phase.
The ECI announced the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Read this article to learn details about the schedule for the third phase of polling. READ | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: CEC Rajiv Kumar Unveils Phase 3 Schedule. Check Dates
The Election Commission of India initiated the electoral process for the 18th Lok Sabha by unveiling details about the phases of polling. Check the schedule for Lok Sabha Phase 2 here.
The Election Commission of India began the electoral process for the 18th Lok Sabha by announcing the schedule for the first phase of voting. Check details here.
Voting in the Outer Manipur constituency will be held in two phases, and those living in camps in the violence-hit state will be allowed to vote from their camps, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Saturday. As the Election Commission announced the dates for Lok Sabha polls, queries were raised over the number of seats totaling up to 544, instead of 543. Kumar said the increase was due to Outer Manipur being counted twice, since polls will be held there in two phases.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was put into effect shortly after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. MCC was implemented in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, where the removal of political party posters has begun.
WATCH | Posters Removed In UP's Badaun As Model Code Of Conduct Kicks In For Lok Sabha Polls
As soon as the Election Commission of India officially flagged off the ultimate race for the next Prime Minister of India on Saturday, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the polls kicked in, mandating political parties to comply with a set of rules. Violation of the rules would attract action from the poll panel. This Model Code of Conduct will remain in place till the completion of the entire poll process.
READ | Model Code Of Conduct Kicks In As EC Declares Lok Sabha Election Dates. Know What Happens Now
The Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced the commencement of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections across Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Odisha, with voting beginning on April 19 and results expected on June 4, coinciding with the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
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The Election Commission unveiled the schedule for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections during a press conference on Saturday. The apex poll body declared that the general assembly polls would span from April 19 to June 1, 2024, encompassing seven phases. Vote counting for the 18th Lok Sabha elections is scheduled for June 4.
Polling is set to occur across all seven phases in Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, while Maharashtra will witness voting in five phases. Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Rajasthan will undergo polling in four, two, and two phases, respectively. Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh will each conduct elections in a single phase.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, in a press conference held in the national capital, also divulged the polling dates for assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim.
The initial phase of polling, slated for April 19, 2024, will encompass 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories. Subsequent phases will follow on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, covering various states and Union Territories.
Arunachal Pradesh will conduct assembly elections alongside Lok Sabha polling on April 19, while Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will have assembly polls on May 13 and May 20. Sikkim's assembly elections coincide with Lok Sabha polling on April 19.
Approximately 97 crore Indians are eligible to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, indicating a 6% rise in registered voters since 2019, according to the Election Commission.
CEC Rajiv Kumar highlighted the challenges ahead, termed 'the 4Ms', which include Money power, Muscle power, Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations, and Misinformation.
The Election Commission introduced a 'Know Your Candidate' (KYC) app to enable voters to check candidates' criminal backgrounds. Parties nominating candidates with criminal records are required to justify their decision, while candidates must disclose relevant information publicly.
Encouraging vigilance among voters, Rajiv Kumar introduced the cVigil app for reporting cases of cash distribution or inducements, promising prompt action within 100 minutes.
The CEC stressed on abstaining from using children in campaigning and prohibited advertisements disguised as news. He expressed concerns over the declining level of public discourse and issued advisories against inflammatory statements and personal attacks, in line with the Model Code of Conduct.
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