Lok Sabha Schedule Highlights: 'We, the BJP-NDA, are fully prepared for elections,' says PM Narendra Modi

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) stated on March 16 that the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan would be held in two stages. Polling is set for April 19 and 26, respectively. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are set to take place in seven phases, beginning on April 19 and ending on June 1. The results of the elections will be officially announced on June 4. Voting for 12 Lok Sabha seats will take place in the first phase, with the remaining 13 seats being voted on in the second. With the announcement of election dates, the stage is set for a heated political campaign in the state, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has considerable power.

Along with the Lok Sabha polls on April 19, by-elections will be held for 26 assembly seats in 13 states, including six constituencies in Himachal Pradesh where Congress MLAs were disqualified for rebellion."There are 26 assembly constituencies where by-elections are due. These are in Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said at a press conference.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar used a verse on Saturday to mock critics of electronic voting machines (EVMs), claiming that the poll authority is frequently the recipient of "unfulfilled desires". He said this to emphasise the fact that even ruling parties had lost elections when EVMs were used for voting. Anticipating a heated election campaign, the CEC also asked political parties and leaders to avoid attacking and vilifying their opponents.

For the first time in Lok Sabha elections, those over the age of 85 and those with more than 40% impairment would be able to vote from home, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stated on Saturday. The EC is willing to take votes at home for individuals over the age of 85, and before nominations, they will send form 12 D to their houses so they can choose their alternative.

The Election Commission is likely to deploy 3.4 lakh Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel, along with state police forces, in the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections and assembly elections in four states, which begin on April 19, authorities said.

A maximum of 92,000 CAPF personnel are expected to be deployed in politically volatile West Bengal, where polls will be held in seven phases, followed by 63,500 personnel in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir, where polling will take place in five stages.

The EC has reviewed the demands made by the state CEOs and decided to deploy a maximum of about 3,400 companies of the CAPFs in all states and Union territories in a phased way to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections, according to an official.

Silicon City Bengaluru will vote in April, with significant constituencies such as Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, and Bangalore South scheduled for an April 26 voting date.

Kolkata, on the Eastern side, will be one of the final metros to vote, with elections in Kolkata Dakshin, Kolkata Uttar, and Jadavpur scheduled for June 1. Chennai, on the southern coast, is set to start off elections in key metro areas, with Chennai North, Chennai South, and Chennai Central polling on April 19.

Gujarat's Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to take place in a single phase on May 7, with vote counting set for June 4. Unemployment, inflation, education, and healthcare facilities are key topics on political party agendas.

The ruling BJP intends to retain all 26 Lok Sabha seats won in 2019. Gujarat is expected to play a significant role in deciding the outcome of the lower House elections. Notably, in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party won all 26 seats in the state. Gujarat is an important political battleground in the approaching elections because it is home to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir will take place after the Lok Sabha elections because holding both at the same time is not feasible from a security standpoint, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said on Saturday as he announced the general election schedule as well as some Assembly and by-polls.

When asked why Assembly elections are not being held in Jammu and Kashmir alongside the Lok Sabha election, the CEC stated that forces must be supplied to each candidate in the Union Territory, which is not practicable while elections are being held across the country.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posted on X saying that this time in the polls, the BJP hopes to win 370 seats, and its will to take the NDA beyond 400 has given workers across India fresh energy. "For us, this election is not just for gaining power but also an expression of our dedication and ability to work towards the resolve of building a developed India under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi," he added.

Former Chief Election Commissioner of India SY Quraishi commented on the 2024 Lok Sabha election schedule saying, “They (the Election Commission) had been working on it for four years. The schedule has been announced looking at local holidays, examinations and agricultural season. The schedule that has been announced was completely predictable, it is almost a repetition of the last elections."

As the date for the 2024 Lok Sabha election is revealed, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stated " This is an election that will decide the future of India. What kind of India do you want to leave behind to your children? What kind of India do you want to live in? If BJP comes to power again, they have a vision of one language, one nation, one religion, one leader, one party and one election as well. That is going to be their approach whereas ours is, inclusion of celebrating diversity and pluralism and all the wonderful characteristics we in Kerala have got used to and love so much..."

Prime Minister Modi said in a comprehensive thread on X that ten years ago before the Modi government took office, there was a great sense of dissatisfaction due to the INDI Alliance's miserable governance. Scams and policy congestion affected every sector. The world had given up on India.

He also took the opportunity to highlight India's achievements. We have become the fifth largest economy and crores of people have been freed from poverty. Our schemes have reached all parts of India and the emphasis of saturation has yielded great results.”