LOK SABHA POLLS:

• 1ST- APR 11,
• 2ND – APR 18,
• 3RD – APR 23,
• 4TH – APR 29,
• 5TH – MAY 6,
• 6TH – MAY 12,
• 7TH – MAY 19

New Delhi, Elections to 17th Lok Sabha will be held in seven phases, starting from April 11 to May 19, and counting of votes will take place on May 23.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said here on Sunday that the first phase of polling will be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19.

An estimated 900 million voters will exercise their franchise for the 17th Lok Sabha elections, he said.

Among them, there will be 15 million new voters between the age-group of 18-19 years, he said.

Briefing reporters, Mr Arora said the term of the 16th Lok Sabha comes to an end on June 3.

He also said single phase polling will be held in 22 states including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Punjab.

Giving details of poll preparedness, the CEC said various stakeholders, including political parties and state governments were consulted during last few weeks and subject matters like inputs from weather departments, examination schedules and festivals and harvesting seasons were also taken into consideration.

Single phase: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal., Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Andaman , Dadar Nagar Haweli, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Delhi, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand.

Two phases: Karnataka, Manipur, Rajastha, Tripura

Three phases: Assam, Chhattisgarh

Four phases: Jharkhand, MP, Maharashtra,Odisha,

Five phases: J&K

Six phases: No state

Seven phases: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal