Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Full Schedule, Phases, Results Date, A Marathon Journey Across India
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The Election Commission of India has announced the much-awaited schedule for the 18th Lok Sabha elections. In a historic move, the world’s largest democratic exercise will span seven phases, extending into the peak summer month of June for only the second time.
The polling dates are as follows:
- Phase 1: April 19
- Phase 2: April 26
- Phase 3: May 7
- Phase 4: May 13
- Phase 5: May 20
- Phase 6: May 25
- Phase 7: June 1
The entire election process, from the announcement to the declaration of results, will last an astonishing 82 days.
A Second-Longest Election: Lok Sabha Elections 2024
- The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases, similar to the previous election.
- This marks only the second time polls will extend into June, making it a longer election period compared to usual.
- The entire election process, from announcement to result declaration, spans 82 days.
- This makes it the second-longest Lok Sabha election period after the first one held in 1951-52.
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Reasons for the Delayed Announcement
- There was a delay in announcing the schedule due to vacancies in the ECI following the resignation of two members.
- A full Commission was preferred for such a significant election.
- Two new Election Commissioners were appointed in mid-March.
Scheduling Challenges
- The scheduling considered various festivals and holidays like Holi, Tamil New Year, Bihu, and Baisakhi to avoid disruptions.
- Security force deployment also plays a role. They require a minimum of six days to move between phases.
- Ensuring minimal disruption, the Election Commission strategically planned the election phases around these festivals
- Security considerations were also a major factor, necessitating the making of arrangements for interstate mobility and the redeployment of security forces between stages.
As an official explained:
“There are many factors that contribute to drafting an election schedule. For instance, security forces require at least six days for inter-state movement and redeployment between two election phases. If there’s a festival in between, we must ensure that crucial days such as nomination, the last date of withdrawal, or even polling day do not coincide with it, as it could disrupt the entire process.”
official explained
Phase-wise polling constituencies in each state: Lok Sabha Elections 2024
| State/Union Territory | Total Constituencies | Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Phase 3 | Phase 4 | Phase 5 | Phase 6 | Phase 7 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 25 | 25 | ||||||
| Arunachal Pradesh | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Assam | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | ||||
| Bihar | 40 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | |
| Chhattisgarh | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | ||||
| Goa | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Gujarat | 26 | 26 | ||||||
| Haryana | 10 | 10 | ||||||
| Himachal Pradesh | 4 | 4 | ||||||
| Jharkhand | 14 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |||
| Karnataka | 28 | 14 | 14 | |||||
| Kerala | 20 | 20 | ||||||
| Madhya Pradesh | 29 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | |||
| Maharashtra | 48 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 13 | ||
| Manipur | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | ||||
| Meghalaya | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Mizoram | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Nagaland | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Odisha | 21 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | |||
| Punjab | 13 | 13 | ||||||
| Rajasthan | 25 | 12 | 13 | |||||
| Sikkim | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Tamil Nadu | 39 | 39 | ||||||
| Telangana | 17 | 17 | ||||||
| Tripura | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Uttar Pradesh | 80 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 14 | |
| Uttarakhand | 5 | 5 | ||||||
| West Bengal | 42 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 8 | |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Chandigarh | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Delhi | 7 | 7 | ||||||
| Jammu and Kashmir | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Ladakh | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Lakshadweep | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Puducherry | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Total Constituencies | 543 | 27 | 102 | 89 | 96 | 99 | 46 | 57 |
| % Complete by Phase End | 4.97% | 23.76% | 40.14% | 57.83% | 76.06% | 84.53% | 95.03% |
The Grand Finale
After this marathon journey across the nation, the counting of votes will take place on June 4, marking the culmination of the world’s largest democratic exercise. The results will determine the fate of the 18th Lok Sabha and shape the future of India for the next five years.
