NEW DELHI: The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday announced the full schedule for Lok Sabha elections 2024, four state assemblies, by-elections for 26 assembly seats. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said that the results of the elections, known as the largest democratic exercise in the world, will be announced on June 4.

CEC Rajiv Kumar announced that the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held in seven phases starting April 19 to June 1. The first phase of the Lok Sabha polls 2024 with begin on April 19. A total of 21 states and Union Territories will undergo polling in this phase. Of these 21, 10 states/UTs will be fully covered.

These will include Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Tripura, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Assam, Bihar that will undergo polling in the first phase

Beginning April 26, the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will cover 13 states and Union Territories. Only one state/UT will be fully covered in this phase. However, four more states/UTs will complete their election process in phase 2. States of Kerala, parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, and West Bengal will vote.

In the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections, 2024 will commence on May 7 in 12 states and Union Territories. Three of these will be fully covered in the election. Three others will also complete their election process in this phase and the states of  Gujarat, Goa, and parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam will undergo polling.

The fourth phase, covering 10 states and Union Territories, is set to begin on May 13. A total of 10 states and Union Territories will undergo polling in this phase. Of these two states/UTs will be fully covered. Three states/UTs will complete their election process in phase 4 and states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and parts of Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and West Bengal will vote in this phase.

Beginning May 20, the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will cover 8 states and Union Territories. Only one state/UT will be fully covered in this phase. However, three more states/UTs will complete their election process in phase 5. Ladakh, and parts of Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Bihar will undergo voting in this phase.

The sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will commence on May 25 in 7 states and Union Territories. Two of which will be fully covered in the election. Two others will also complete their election process in this phase and Delhi, Haryana, and parts of Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will vote in this phase.

The last phase beginning June 1, the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will cover 8 states and Union Territories. Three states/UT will be fully covered in this phase. However, eight more states/UTs will complete their election process in the last phase. Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha will vote in the last phase of Lok Sabha polls. The counting for all the Lok Sabha polls will be held on June 4.