NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India has informed that voting for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will be in 7-phases starting from 11 April.
The contest for the 543 Lok Sabha seats pits the ruling BJP’s Narendra Modi against Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party which is attempting to work with regional parties to try stopping PM Modi’s return to power. PM Modi – the second non-Congress Prime Minister after Atal Bihari Vajpayee to complete a full term in office – is making a strong pitch for his re-election.
Nearly 900 million voters are entitled to vote, many of them will be voting for the first time in the national elections and have been the focus of PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi’s campaigns.
Four states, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, will also vote for new provincial governments.
According to the commission, the votes will be counted on 23 May.
The announcement of the poll schedule kicks in the ground rules for the contest, called the model code of conduct designed to create a level-playing field for opposition parties. The code prohibits governments from making any announcement that could influence the voters and gives the poll panel, the power to transfer any official associated with the election process across India.
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