Image Source : INDIA TV Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Over 16 crore voters to decide fate of 1,625 candidates in first phase of polls at the moment.
Lok Sabha elections 2024: India is all set for Lok Sabha elections 2024 with 28 states and eight Union Territories going to polls. The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls will start on April 19 (Friday). The Election Commission of India (ECI) stated {that a} complete of 16.63 crore voters are eligible to participate in the voting course of. A complete of round 1.87 lakh polling stations have been arrange, whereas 18 lakh safety personnel have been deployed.
More than 1,600 candidates, together with eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and an ex-governor will take a look at their electoral fate at the moment. Over 16.63 crore voters in 1.87 lakh polling stations throughout the nation will decide the fate of round 1,625 candidates in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections.
The first phase of polls consists of seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
While the remaining six phases of polls will proceed until June 1 with round 97 crore voters lined as much as train their proper to franchise. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4 (Tuesday).
Take a have a look at some key info about 1st phase of polling:
Polling for first phase of the General Elections will probably be held on April 19 for 102 Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) in 21 States/UTs and 92 Assembly Constituencies in the State Assembly elections in Arunachal and Sikkim. It has the very best quantity of parliamentary constituencies amongst all phases.
Voting commences at 7:00 am and ends at 6:00 pm (closure of ballot timings might differ as per parliamentary constituencies).
Over 16.63 crore voters embrace 8.4 crore males and eight.23 crore females and 11,371 third-gender will vote at the moment.
35.67 lakh first-time voters are registered to train their proper to franchise.
There are 3.51 crore younger voters in the age group of 20-29 years.
There are over 14.14 lakh registered voters aged 85 plus and 13.89 lakh Persons with disabilities (PwD) in 102 PCs who’ve been offered the choice to vote from the consolation of their houses. The non-obligatory Home Voting facility is already receiving super appreciation and response.
Those aged 85 plus and PwD voters, who decide to come back to polling stations, will probably be supplied with all amenities like decide and drop, signages, braille signage on EVM, volunteers. PwD voters can even e-book wheelchair amenities through ECI’s Saksham App.
Assured minimal amenities like water, shed, bogs, ramps, volunteers, wheelchairs, and electrical energy are in place to make sure that each voter, together with the aged and PwD, can solid their vote with ease.
Model polling stations are being arrange throughout the 102 PCs with native themes. Over 5,000 polling stations will probably be fully managed by ladies together with safety workers at over 1,000 polling stations by PwDs.
The ECI has additionally offered 12 various paperwork apart from Electors Photo Identification Card (EPIC) for id verification at polling stations. If a voter is registered in the electoral roll, voting will be completed by displaying any of these paperwork.
Heavy safety association for 1st phase polling
Deploying over 18 lakh polling officers, ECI stated that it has taken a slew of decisive measures for the peaceable and clean conduct of the elections as Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu gave closing touches to ballot preparations on Thursday (April 18).
41 helicopters, 84 particular trains and almost 1 lakh automobiles have been deployed to ferry polling and safety personnel.
Webcasting will probably be completed in over 50 per cent of the polling stations together with the deployment of micro observers in all polling stations.
361 observers have reached their constituencies, days earlier than the polls. They function the eyes and ears of the ECI to train utmost vigilance.
A complete of 4,627 flying squads, 5,208 statistics surveillance groups, 2,028 video surveillance groups and 1,255 video viewing groups are deployed to strictly and swiftly take care of any type of inducement of voters.
A complete of 1,374 inter-state and 162 worldwide border checkposts are conserving a strict vigil on any illicit move of liquor, medicine, money and freebies. Strict vigil is being maintained at sea and air routes.
Image Source : ECI (X)Polling officers in Sikkim have left no stone unturned to make the voting course of nice and cozy for voters.
Key candidates in phase 1 voting
Amongst the outstanding leaders attempting their electoral luck in phase one are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Kiren Rijiju from Arunachal Pradesh (West), Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Sarbanada Sonowal from Dibrugarh in Assam, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzaffarnagar in western UP, Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar in Rajasthan.
Tamilisai Soundararajan, who lately resigned as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry to return to lively politics, is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency. Nakul Nath, son of Congress chief and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, is looking for reelection from Chhindwara.
Of the 2 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tripura, the seat of West Tripura that votes in the first phase will see a high-voltage conflict between former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and state Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha.
CEC Rajiv Kumar urges individuals to vote
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Thursday (April 18) reminded individuals of the importance of every vote, saying there have been situations when one vote has mattered in a important contest.
Elections are probably the most stunning expression of India’s democracy and there may be “nothing like voting”, he stated in a video message. In view of the heatwave, Kumar stated individuals should take all precautions. “But I know the spirit of the Indian voter will beat the summer heat,” he stated.
“In our great democracy, elections belong to you, the choice belongs to you. You are deciding the government. You are doing it for your sake, for your family and children, for your village or town and, of course, for the country,” he stated.
“I call upon the youth to lead a revolution in electoral participation,” the chief election commissioner stated as he urged individuals to solid their poll. He reminded those that they need to by no means underestimate the ability of “your one vote”. There are many situations, when one vote has mattered in a important contest, Kumar stated.
Simultaneously, meeting elections in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats) can even be held.
