New Delhi, March 20: The Election Commission of India has officially declared the commencement of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, with the first phase scheduled for April 19. The notification outlines key dates for nomination filing, scrutiny, and withdrawal across various states and Union Territories.
For Bihar, the deadline for nominations is set for March 28, while for other regions like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, and more, it is March 27. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 30 for Bihar and March 28 for the remaining regions.
Candidates from Bihar have until April 2 to withdraw their candidatures, whereas others must do so by March 30. The notification specifies June 6 as the deadline for completing elections across all parliamentary constituencies mentioned.
This phase will witness elections in 102 Lok Sabha seats across 17 states and four Union Territories. Notable states include Tamil Nadu with 39 seats, Rajasthan with 12, Uttar Pradesh with 8, and Madhya Pradesh with 6 seats going to polls in the initial phase.
Additionally, five seats each in Uttarakhand, Assam, and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, and three in West Bengal will be contested. Furthermore, two seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Meghalaya, along with one seat in Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry will also participate in the April 19 elections.
The Election Commission had previously announced the election schedule on March 16, outlining a seven-phase polling process from April 19 to June 1. Vote counting is scheduled for June 4, marking a crucial step in determining the future leadership of the nation.
