New Delhi, April 18: India is all set for Lok Sabha elections with 28 states and eight Union Territories going to polls. The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will begin on April 19. Election Commission of India in a release said that a total of 16.63 crore voters are eligible to take part in the polls. A total of 1.87 lakh polling stations have been set up, while 18 lakh personnel have been deployed.
"The Election Commission of India has made all preparations to welcome voters to the biggest festival of democracy that any nation has witnessed, the elections to the 18th Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies in four states that start off tomorrow with Phase 1," the release said.
It has the highest number of parliamentary constituencies among all phases. Voting begins at 7 AM and ends at 6 PM (Closure of Poll timings may differ PC-wise), the poll body said. Voters include 8.4 crore Males; 8.23 crore Females and 11,371 Third gender electors. There are 35.67 lakh first-time voters registered to cast their votes. Additionally, there are 3.51 crore young voters in the age group 20-29 years.
Also Read | 2024 Lok Sabha elections: Some interesting facts about Friday's first phase.
There are a total of 1625 candidates (Males - 1491; and Females-134) in the fray. The poll body informed that there are 41 helicopters, 84 Special trains and nearly 1 lakh vehicles have been deployed to ferry polling and security personnel. Webcasting will be done in more than 50 % of the polling stations along with the deployment of micro observers in all polling stations. 361 Observers (127 General Observers, 67 Police Observers, 167 Expenditure Observers) have already reached their Constituencies days before the polls.
They serve as the eyes and ears of the Commission to exercise utmost vigilance. Additionally, Special Observers have been deployed in certain states. A total of 4627 Flying Squads, 5208 Statistics Surveillance Teams, 2028 Video Surveillance Teams and 1255 Video Viewing Teams are keeping surveillance round the clock to strictly and swiftly deal with any form of inducement of voters.
Also Read | Lok Sabha Election 2024: Bihar’s Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Nawada To Vote in First Phase Tomorrow.
A total of 1374 inter-state and 162 international Border check posts are keeping a strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash, and freebies. Strict surveillance has been kept at sea and air routes. There are over 14.14 lakh registered 85+ years old and 13.89 lakh PwD voters in 102 PCs who have been provided the option to vote from the comfort of their homes. The optional Home Voting facility is already receiving tremendous appreciation and response, ECI said. The 2024 general elections will be held in India in seven phases, from April 19 to June 1, to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The results will be announced on June 4.