Face of candidate on EVMs, new social media policy| Highlights

With nearly 90 crore voters across 10 lakh booths in 543 constituencies, India is set to hold its 17th Lok Sabha elections over the next few weeks. The tenure of the current Lok Sabha ends on June 3.

Voting for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will start on 11 April, the Election Commission said on Sunday, announcing a 7-phase schedule for the world’s biggest democratic exercise. Four states, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, will also vote for new provincial governments.

With nearly 90 crore voters across 10 lakh booths in 543 constituencies, India is set to hold its 17th Lok Sabha elections over the next few weeks. The tenure of the current Lok Sabha ends on June 3. (HT File Photo)

With nearly 90 crore voters across 10 lakh booths in 543 constituencies, India is set to hold its 17th Lok Sabha elections over the next few weeks. The tenure of the current Lok Sabha ends on June 3.

Here are the highlights:

* Commission has also directed political parties/candidates to desist from using environmentally hazardous publicity material

* Once the left-wing affected states get covered which require much more force, then those forces can move to other areas: CEC

* We have tried to cover left-wing affected areas of various states at one go: CEC

* Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in J-K to go for polling in three phases due to security reasons: EC

* High-powered committee looking into complaints regarding EVMs: CEC

* Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh to have simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls

* Three special observers for Jammu and Kashmir: CEC

* No assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir for now, says CEC

* Seven-phase polls in three states- Bihar,Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal

* Five-phase poll in Jammu and Kashmir

* Four-phase polls in four states- Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha

* Three-phase polls in two states- Assam and Chhattisgarh

* Two-phase polls in four states- Karnataka, Manipur, Rajasthan and Tripura

* Single phase elections in 22 states and UTs

* 115 constituencies to go for polls in third phase, 71 in fourth phase, 51 in fifth phase, 59 in sixth and 59 in seventh phase: EC

* Second phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 18, third phase on 23 April, fourth phase on April 29: EC

* 91 constituencies to go for polls in first phase of polls, 97 constituencies in second phase: EC

* Phase 1: 91 constituencies in 20 states, Phase 2: 97 in 13 states, Phase 3: 115 in 14 states, Phase 4: 71 in 9 states, Phase 5: 51 in 7 states, Phase 6: 59 in 7 states, Phase 7: 59 in 8 states

* Lok Sabha election results on May 23

* 7-phase Lok Sabha polls from April 11-- 11 April (1st phase), 18 April (2nd phase), 23 April (3rd phase), 29 April (4th phase), 6 May (5th phase), 12 May (6th phase), 19 May (7th phase)

* There will be seven phases of election: CEC

* Candidates must give social media details: CEC

* All political ads on social media will require pre-certification: CEC

* Measures being taken to reach out to voters in the remotest of corners in the country using community radio, folk arts: CEC

* VIGIL a citizen app will help the public reach out to Election Commission on any malpractices.

* Special observers will be sent to certain sensitive states: CEC

* Central police forces in large numbers to be deployed in large numbers. CEC refuses to disclose exact number

* Paper trail in all polling stations: CEC Sunil Arora

* Photo of candidate to make sure the voter has clarity. 10 lakh polling stations, increase of 10%: CEC

* Held deliberations with stakeholders: CEC

* Total electorates 900 million: CEC Sunil Arora

* Total electorate in this Lok Sabha elections will be 900 million, of which 15 million voters are in the 18-19 age group: CEC

* We are trying for a participatory elections: CEC Sunil Arora

* CEC Sunil Arora says Indian elections a beacon light for all emerging democracies

* Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora begins press conference to announce Lok Sabha elections schedule

* Election Commission press conference to announce Lok Sabha poll schedule begins

* Election Commission press conference to announce Lok Sabha poll schedule shortly

* Since the Jammu and Kashmir assembly has been dissolved, EC is bound to hold fresh polls there as well within a six-month period, which ends in May.

* EC may hold elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, along with Lok Sabha polls.

* The elections are expected to be held in seven to nine phases.

* Elections will be held for 543 seats of the Lok Sabha on approximately 10 lakh polling booths across the country.