New Delhi, March 16: The Election Commission has kickstarted the 2024 Lok Sabha election process by announcing the polling schedule. The voting will span across 7 phases, commencing from April 19 and concluding on June 1, with results expected to be unveiled on June 4. As per protocol, the model code of conduct immediately takes effect upon the declaration of election dates.

The initial phase of voting on April 19 will encompass 102 Lok Sabha seats, followed by the second phase on April 26 covering 89 seats, and the third phase on May 7 for 94 seats. Subsequently, the fourth phase will take place on May 13 for 96 seats, the fifth phase on May 20 for 49 seats, and the sixth and seventh phases on May 25 and June 1 respectively, each accounting for 57 seats.

The voting process will unfold in 7 phases in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, while Maharashtra and Jammu & Kashmir will observe a 5-phase election. Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand will experience a 4-phase polling, and Chhattisgarh and Assam will undergo three phases. Meanwhile, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tripura, and Manipur are slated for two-phase voting, whereas 22 states will see the Lok Sabha elections in a single phase.

Comparatively, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, voting took place over seven phases from April 11 to May 19, with results declared on May 23. During those polls, the BJP secured 303 seats, significantly surpassing the Congress, which managed only 52 seats, while other parties clinched 187 Lok Sabha seats.

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