Lok Sabha Elections 2024 schedule announced: FAQs on upcoming polls

Q. How many Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in the first phase of polls on April 19?

As many as 102 seats will go to polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections to be held on April 19 in 21 states.

Q. How many Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in the second phase of polls on April 26?

The second phase of polling will be held on April 26, covering 89 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states.

Q. How many Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in the third phase of polls on May 7?

The third phase of polling will be held on May 7, covering 94 parliamentary constituencies across 12 states.

Q. How many Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in the fourth phase of polls on May 13?

The fourth phase of polling will be held on May 13, covering 96 parliamentary constituencies across 10 states.

Q. How many Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in the fifth phase of polls on May 20?

The fifth phase of polling will be held on May 20, covering 49 parliamentary constituencies across eight states.

Q. How many Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in the sixth phase of polls on May 25?

The sixth phase of polling will be held on May 25, covering 57 parliamentary constituencies across seven states.

Q. How many Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in the seventh phase of polls on June 1?

The seventh phase of polling will be held on June 1, covering 57 parliamentary constituencies across eight states.

Q. Which states are going for elections to their Assemblies simultaneously?

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim are going for Assembly elections simultaneously.

Q. What are the security arrangements?

Tens of thousands of troops will be deployed to prevent violence and transport electoral officials and voting machines.

CAPF will be deployed adequately and assisted by Integrated control rooms in each district. Check posts will be installed and drones will keep vigil over sensitive areas.

Q. What are the challenges the EC will face and how will they be tackled?

CEC Rajiv Kumar said the Election Commission has taken all measures to keep the polls corruption-free by keeping a check on four main factors – muscle power, money power, misinformation and violation of model code of conduct. He asserted that the election panel has launched a ruthless fight against poll violence.

The ECI has also offered 27 apps and portals for all stakeholders – cVigil empowers citizens to report MCC violations and assured action within 100 meters, and KYC app facilitates informed voting.

Q. Who are the major players?

The Lok Sabha election this year will see the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) as the major players even as a number of partners of the latter have already announced to go solo after seat-sharing talks did not materialise. Led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), NDA has Janata Dal-United) (JD-U), Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) among its key components. The Congress-led INDIA alliance on the other hand has Communist Party of India -Marxist (CPI-M), Samajwadi Party (SP), Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar, Shev Sena (UBT) and National Conference (NC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)  among its prominent members.

Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have declared to go solo in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh respectively.

Q. What were the results of 2019?

The BJP secured a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha polls 2019 winning 303 out of 542 seats that went to the polls. Congress was positioned a distant second with just 52 seats while DMK and Trinamool TMC clinched 23 and 22 seats respectively.