India set to celebrate world’s biggest festival of democracy: voting for General Elections 2024 commences on April 19

Culmination of two years of rigorous preparations

Commission calls upon voters to come out and vote

102 Lok Sabha seats, 16.63 crore voters, 1.87 lakh polling stations, 18 lakh personnel in phase-1

NEW DELHI, APRIL 18, 2024: The Election Commission of India has made all preparations to welcome voters to the biggest festival of democracy that any nation has witnessed, the elections to the 18^th Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies in four states that starts off tomorrow with Phase 1.

On this occasion, the Commission also reiterates its uncompromising commitment to deliver a free, fair, peaceful, accessible, and participative and inducement free poll. The Commission and its teams across States and Union Territories, in the last two years have put in necessary hard work and meticulous interventions to give India’s electors the best possible experience. The polling has come after numerous consultations, reviews, field visits, extensive training of officials and building of new and time appropriate operating procedures. It has also involved collaboration with a large spectrum of agencies, organisations countrywide.

The Commission comprising CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar and ECs Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Shri Sukhbir Singh Sandhu gave final touches to poll preparations today at 12 noon for a smooth run of phase 1 of General Elections 2024. Remaining 6 phases of polls will continue till 1^st of June with around 97 crore voters lined up to vote. Counting of votes scheduled on 4^th June.

The Commission considers that it is the time now for voters to act. It has with all sincerity appealed to voters to step out of their homes, go to the polling station and vote with responsibility and pride.  In a nationally televised message, CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar appealed to all voters to vote without fail. Listen to CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar’s message here –

In Hindi:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDdiNLMWnVk

In English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIuuKOPPcHU

Phase 1 Facts

1. Polling for Phase-I of the General Elections 2024 will be held i.e., 19^thof April, 2024 for 102 Parliamentary Constituencies (General- 73; ST- 11 ;  SC-18) in 21 States/ UTs and 92 Assembly Constituencies in the State Assembly Elections in Arunachal and Sikkim. It has the highest number of parliamentary constituencies among all phases. Voting begins at 7AM and ends at 6 PM (Closure of Poll timings may differ PC wise)
2. Over 18 lakh Polling officialswill welcome over 63 crore voters across 1.87 lakh polling stations
3. Voters include4 crore Male; 8.23 crore Female and 11,371 Third gender electors.
4. 67 lakh first time votersare registered  to cast their votes. Additionally, there are 3.51 crore young voters in the age group 20-29 years.
5. 1625 candidates(Males – 1491 ; Females-134) are in the fray.
6. 41 helicopters,84 Special trains and nearly 1 lakh vehicles have been deployed to ferry polling and security personnel.

Ensuring Peace and Purity

7. The Commission has taken a slew of decisive measures for  peaceful and smooth conduct of the elections. Central forces have been deployed adequately at polling stations to secure the polling process.
8. Webcasting will be done in more than 50 %of the polling stations along with deployment of micro observers in all polling stations.
9. 361 Observers (127 General Observers, 67 Police Observers, 167 Expenditure Observers)have already reached their Constituencies days before the polls. They serve as the eyes and ears of the Commission to exercise utmost vigilance. Additionally, Special Observers have been deployed in certain states.
10. A total of 4627 Flying Squads, 5208 Statistics Surveillance Teams, 2028 Video Surveillance Teams and 1255 Video Viewing Teamsare keeping surveillance round the clock to strictly and swiftly deal with any form of inducement of voters.
11. A total of 1374 inter-state and 162 international Border check postsare keeping strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash and freebies. Strict surveillance has been kept at sea and air routes.
12. Voters can check their polling station details, and poll date through this linkhttps://electoralsearch.eci.gov.in/
13. The Commission has also provided 12 alternative documents other than Voter id card (EPIC) for identity verification at polling stations. If a voter is registered in the electoral roll, voting can be done by showing any of these documents.