India will go to polls for the 16th Lok Sabha in nine phases.
NEW DELHI: The model code of conduct comes into effect as the Election Commission announced the poll schedule for the 16th Lok Sabha elections on Wednesday. While voting will be held in nine phases on April 7, 9, 10, 12, 17, 24, 30 and May 7, 12, counting of votes will be held on May 16.
Talking to mediapersons at the Vigyan Bhawan here on Wednesday, CEC V S Sampath said nearly 1.1 crore security personnel will be deployed on election duty covering 543 parliamentary constituencies of the nation. About 81.4 crore electors will be eligible to caste their votes. The CEC also said about nine lakh camps will be held nationwide till March 9, including on Sundays, to enroll new voters.
Also, the ‘None of The Above’ (NOTA) option will be introduced for the first time across the nation in general elections. Voting will take place in nearly 9.3 lakh polling booths. The term of the 15th Lok Sabha expires on May 31. The new House will be operational from June 1. Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will also take place with the Lok Sabha polls.
The formal announcement came today. But political parties have already begun works to win votes for long. While BJP-led NDA enjoys a lead over rivals UPA partners, as per opinion polls conducted recently, the newly born Aam Aadmi Party has also gone full-fledged in election campaigning from last week, beginning from UP.
Parties are working overtime to forge alliances and woo support of electors by hook or by crook. Leaders from almost all the parties are out to win support on the basis of caste, creed and religions besides freebies.
