New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced the dates for the 18th Lok Sabha elections. The elections will be held in seven phases starting from April 19 to June 1, informed Chief Election Commissioner of India (CEC) Rajiv Kumar at a press conference in New Delhi. He was accompanied by newly-appointed Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S.S. Sandhu.

The counting of votes will be held on June 4 for the world’s biggest election exercise in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will bid for a third consecutive term. According to CEC Rajiv Kumar, there are 96.8 crore people eligible to cast a vote in the upcoming polls at over 12 lakh polling stations.

The first phase of elections will begin on April 19 while the other phases will be on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.

In the first phase on April 19, voting will take place in 102 constituencies spread over 21 States/UTs, with 10 States/UTs completing the poll process in this phase.

Voting will take place in 89 constituencies across 13 States/UTs in the second phase on April 26, Kumar said, adding that the poll process would be completed in four more States/UTs.

In the third phase on May 7, voting will take place in 94 constituencies spread across 12 States/UTs. With this,  polling will be completed in six more  States/UTs.

In the fourth phase on May 13, 96 constituencies spread across 10 States/UTs would vote. With this, three more States/UTs would have completed voting.

As many as 49 constituencies spread across eight States/UTs will vote in phase five on May 20. This phase will see voting completed in three more States/UTs.

In the sixth phase on May 25, voting will take place in 57 constituencies spread across seven States/UTs. Polling in two more States/UTs would be completed with this phase.

The seventh and final phase will take place on June 1 in 57 constituencies spread across eight States/UTs. The polling process in eight States/UTs would be completed.

The Election Commission also announced that the Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19 and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13.

Elections to Odisha Assembly will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Bypolls will also be held for 26 Assembly constituencies, CEC said.

Since the inception of the Election Commission of India on January 25, 1950, the electoral body has conducted 17 general elections. The poll body is now all gearing up to hold the Lok Sabha elections 2024, which will happen on April 19, 2024.

Being the biggest democracy in the world, the electoral procedure of India is considered the standard by many countries.