Highlights: LS election dates out, four states to vote for assemblies

Elections will also be held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha along with the parliamentary polls. Catch LIVE updates here

7:49 PM

Hardik Patel says he is joining Congresss

Hardik Patel, leader of Gujarat’s Patidar community, announces he is joining on the Congress party. To give shape to my intentions to serve society & country, I have decided to join Indian National Congress on 12th March in presence of Shri Rahul Gandhi & other senior leaders,” he says on Twitter.

7:35 PM

Throw out Modi govt in elections: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says elections are an opportunity for the people to throw out Narendra Modi, who he alleges heads "the most dictatorial and anti-federal" government in the history of India".

6:06 PM

Festival of democracy begins, says PM Modi

6:01 PM

Assembly elections in 4 states along with parliamentary polls

Elections for Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha to be held simultaneously along with Lok Sabha polls.

 

5:47 PM

Election Data

Phase	Date	No of constituencies	No of States
1	11-Apr	91	20
2	18-Apr	97	19
3	23-Apr	115	14
4	29-Apr	71	9
5	6-May	51	7
6	12-May	59	7
7	19-May	59	8

5:42 PM

3 states to have 7-phase elections

Seven-phase elections in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal

5:38 PM

Poll dates out

Lok Sabha elections to be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19, counting of votes on May 23

5:31 PM

Seven-phase Lok Sabha election

Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phase: Election Commission

5:28 PM

Social media check

Candidates have to report their social media accounts to the Election Commission. They have to report their expense on social media campaigns

5:23 PM

Android app for voters to complain

Voters can use an Android app to record malpractice during elections and send it to the Election Commission. A government official is duty bound to respond to the complaint within 100 minutes: Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora

5:16 PM

VVPAT to be used at election booths

Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) will be used at all election booths in the elections

5:14 PM

10 lakh voting booths

There will 10 lakh voting booths in these elections. An auxillary voting booth can be opened at the last moment: Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora.

5:09 PM

Exams and festivals kept in mind for election schedule

While finalising poll dates, Election Commission kept in mind exam schedules, festivals, harvest season and weather: Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora.

5:06 PM

Meetings and discussions to prepare for elections

Commission started preparing for elections with a series of meetings. Several meetings were held with union home secretary and his team: Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora

5:02 PM

Election Commission press conference begins

Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora begins press conference to announce Lok Sabha election schedule.

5:01 PM

BJP, Congress say confident of victory

“We are forming a government on our own,” says Desh Ratan Nigam on NDTV TV channel ahead of the election schedule. Not at all, says Aishwarya Mahadev of the Congress party.

4:41 PM

Sushma's statement sets tone for BJP's election campaign

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tells BJP workers the party will in its elections campaign attack the Opposition for “questioning” the armed forces about the 

Indian Air Force's strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan. "We should ask questions about whether our jawans should count the dead bodies (after dropping bombs on 

terror camps) or return safely after carrying out the air strike. BJP workers should ask counter-questions to those who raise doubts about the impact of our air 

strike," Swaraj says in Delhi.

 

4:40 PM

Model code of conduct

The Election Commission's model code of conduct will come into effect once the commission finishes announcing the poll schedule. The code bars central and state 

governments from making any policy decisions or inaugurate new projects from the moment polls are announced till the end of the electoral process.

 

4:39 PM

All eyes on Election Commission's press conference

Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora, election commissioner Ashok Lavasa, and election commissioner Sushil Chandra will announce the schedule at Vigyan Bhawan, the convention centre for government events in Delhi.

4:35 PM

EC to announce Lok Sabha poll schedule at 5 pm today

The poll panel will be holding a press conference at 5 pm at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi