The upcoming Lok Sabha elections will held in 7 phases, the Election Commission announced on March 16.
The term of the present Lok Sabha ends on June 16 and a new House has to be constituted before that.
In a press briefing, Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar said that the first phase of elections will be held in 21 states, and the polling will begin on April 19. The election for the second phase will take place on April 26. The third phase is on May 7, the fourth phase is on May 13, the fifth phase is on May 20, the sixth phase on May 25 and the seventh phase on June 1. Besides, by-elections for 26 constituencies will take simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections. The results will be announced on June 4.
Last time the Lok Sabha polls were announced on March 10 and held in seven phases beginning April 11. Votes were counted on May 23.
Nearly 97 crore people are eligible to cast vote in the upcoming polls at over 12 lakh polling stations.
In the last parliamentary polls, the BJP had won 303 seats while the Congress got 52 seats. It could not muster enough numbers to claim the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.