‘The biggest festival of democracy is here’: Modi

STATE TIMES NEWS

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases spread over 44 days starting April 19 in the world’s largest election, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi eyeing a third consecutive term in office. Counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.
Announcing the poll schedule to elect the 543-member Lok Sabha, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told a news conference on Saturday that over 97 crore voters–49.7 crore male and 47.1 crore female–are eligible to cast their votes across 10.5 lakh polling booths.
While the opposition INDIA bloc remains hit by internal bickerings, Modi, 73, is not just looking to stamp his electoral dominance in the country but is also chasing history looking for another consecutive victory that will equal the country’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s record.
Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19, and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13. Elections to Odisha assembly will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
Bypolls will also be held for 26 assembly constituencies in different states, said Kumar, who was flanked by the two new Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
Polling will be held in all seven phases in three states–Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, all considered key states in the fight for electoral supremacy.
The elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1, said Kumar. The entire election process, from the announcement of polls on Saturday to the declaration of results, lasts 82 days.
Asserting that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance(NDA) is fully prepared for the general elections, Prime Minister Modi slammed the opposition as “rudderless” and “issueless” and expressed confidence about retaining power.
“The biggest festival of democracy is here! EC has announced the 2024 Lok Sabha election dates. We, the BJP-NDA, are fully prepared for elections,” he said in a series of posts on X with the hashtag ‘Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar’ (‘once again Modi government’), shortly after the poll announcement.
Modi also highlighted the “glorious turnaround” India has seen in the 10 years of his government. He said the ruling alliance will go to people based on its track record of good governance and service delivery across sectors.
Pushing a brand of muscular nationalism entirely his own, the prime minister is building his campaign narrative around ‘Modi ki guarantee’ while the Congress campaign is expected to revolve around ‘Nyay guarantees’.
With the poll announcement, the Model Code of Conduct(MCC) has also come into effect.
“It is our promise to deliver a national election in a manner that we… remain a beacon for democracy around the world,” Kumar said, as he urged everyone to “get inked.”
He also advised the political parties against hate speeches, caste or religious appeals, criticism of any aspect of private life, masquerading of advertisements as news and social media posts vilifying or insulting rivals.
“I urge parties to refrain from personal attacks and foul language. No-go areas in speeches are defined to maintain civility. Let us not cross lines in our rivalry. We have issued an advisory for the political parties, they are encouraged to foster a political discourse that inspires rather than divides,” he said.
Drone-based checking at borders, surveillance of non-chartered flights, a crackdown on misleading advertisements and fake news, and “ruthless” action against poll violence are also among the EC’s strategies to deal with the four-fold challenge of “muscle, money, misinformation, and Model Code violations”.
“The daunting challenge in conducting free and fair elections are four-fold, the four Ms: muscle, money, misinformation, and MCC (Model Code of Conduct) violations. The Election Commission is committed and has put in place measures to deal with these disruptive challenges,” the CEC said.
Kumar also said Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be held as soon as possible after the Lok Sabha elections.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the Lok Sabha elections was “perhaps the last chance to save democracy and our Constitution from dictatorship”.
“The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will open the ‘door of Nyay’ for India. This would be perhaps the last chance to save democracy and our Constitution from dictatorship,” he added.
In ethnic violence-hit Manipur, people living in camps will be allowed to vote from there with the EC making special two-phase voting arrangements in one of the two Lok Sabha constituencies.
In the first phase on April 19, voting will take place in 102 constituencies spread over 21 states/UTs, with 10 states/UTs completing the poll process in this phase.
Voting will take place in 89 constituencies across 13 states/UTs in the second phase on April 26, Kumar said, adding that the poll process would be completed in four more states/UTs.
In the third phase on May 7, voting will take place in 94 constituencies spread across 12 states/UTs. With this, polling will be completed in six more states/UTs.
In the fourth phase on May 13, 96 constituencies spread across 10 states UTs would vote. With this, three more states/UTs would have completed voting.
As many as 49 constituencies spread across eight states/UTs will vote in phase five on May 20. This phase will see voting completed in three more states/UTs.
In the sixth phase on May 25, voting will take place in 57 constituencies spread across seven states/UTs. Polling in two more states/UTs would be completed with this phase.
The seventh and final phase will take place on June 1 in 57 constituencies spread across eight states/UTs. The polling process in eight states/UTs would be completed.
Seen by political watchers as the favourite to retain power for a third straight term, the BJP has set itself an ambitious target of winning 370 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP also hopes to make the most of the religious fervour generated by the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
Entering the Lok Sabha poll fray after two successive defeats with its political image considerably dented, the Congress on the other hand faces a tough battle for its very survival this election as it fights a powerful BJP.
On the poll schedule, the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal said there is no valid reason for holding elections in seven phases for the 42 seats in the eastern state, claiming that more phases help political parties with deeper pockets.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya also claimed that the EC did not take into account the state government’s suggestion of holding the elections in a single phase or two phases in the state.

EC to use two laws, counter-narrative to curb misinformation during polls

New Delhi: The Election Commission will use a two-pronged strategy to deal with misinformation and fake narratives on social media during the Lok Sabha polls, with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar asserting that the poll body will “join the issue” to provide the correct picture to voters.
Addressing a press conference to announce the schedule for elections to the 18th Lok Sabha, Kumar said the commission will soon launch a “Myth vs Reality” project to clear the air around fake news being spread on social media.
“Misinformation troubles us a lot during elections. We are conscious of two facts — that social media helps us in our outreach programmes and there is freedom to criticise anybody in a democracy. But one cannot be allowed to create fake news, which is not based on facts because it can disturb public order,” he said.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kumar said that under sections 69 and 79 (3) of the IT Act, authorities in each state are empowered to ask to take down fake social media posts.
“Authorised officials have been appointed in all states or are being appointed. In each district, we have done thorough training to deal with this kind of menace. Our entire machinery will now react to whatever is coming by (using) facts. We will join the issue instead of being in the background,” Kumar said.
“If someone is trying to set a fake narrative that is disturbing the level-playing field or disrupting the law and order, we will also join them. We will soon launch a ‘Myth vs Reality’ project to clear the air around fake news spreading on social media,” the CEC added. Polling for the 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases, starting with 102 in the first phase on April 19. The votes will be counted on June 4.
“Tackling misinformation in today’s digital age is complex. We have put certain measures in place to ensure misinformation is nipped in the bud. We will be proactive in debunking fake news. Originators of fake news will be dealt with severely as per extant laws,” Kumar further said.
“Remember, ‘Verify Before You Amplify’ is the mantra to combat fake news. Let us rely on authoritative sources to ensure accurate information prevails. Stay vigilant and help us maintain the integrity of the electoral process,” he added.

Persons above 85, those with more than 40 pc disability can vote from home

New Delhi: For the first time in Lok Sabha elections, people above 85 years of age and those with more than 40 per cent disability will be able to cast their votes from home, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced on Saturday.
“We are ready to take vote at home for those above the age of 85 years, before nominations we will send form 12 D to their homes to choose the option.
“We have tried this in some parts of the country earlier in assembly elections but this is the first time it will be implemented across the country,” Kumar said while addressing a press conference to announce the schedule of the Lok Sabha elections. “If they choose the option of voting from home, we will conduct voting for them at their residence. Our experience is that majority of these people want to come to the booths because they have consistently been part of our democracy… they will have volunteers and wheelchairs if they come to the booth,” he added.
According to Kumar, there are 82 lakh registered voters who are aged above 85 years while the number of PwD voters is 88.4 lakh.
A total of 2.18 lakh centenarians are also part of the electoral rolls.
The CEC said there are 97.8 crore eligible voters of which 49.72 crore are male voters and 47.1 crore are female voters. The polls for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases, starting with voting for 102 seats in the first phase on April 19. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

LS polls in J&K to be held in five phases

SRINAGAR: The Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in five phases with voting in each of the five parliamentary constituencies of the Union Territory to be held in each phase, according to the poll schedule announced by the Election Commission on Saturday.
The Lok Sabha polls will be held across the country in seven phases beginning from April 19 and the counting of votes will take place on June 4 for the world’s biggest election exercise in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will bid for a third consecutive term.
The Udhampur Lok Sabha seat in the Jammu region will go to polls on April 19 in the first phase. The notification will be issued on March 20 while March 27 will be the last date for filing nominations. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be March 30.

Voting for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat will be held on April 26 in the second phase of elections. The notification will be issued on March 28 and April 4 will be the last date for filing nominations. April 8 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature.
The Anantnag constituency, which spreads across the Pir Panjal range and includes Rajouri and Poonch areas after delimitation, will go to polls on May 7 in the third phase. The notification will be issued on April 12 and April 19 will be the last date for filing nominations. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 22.
For the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat in the Kashmir region, polling will be held in the fourth phase on May 13. While the notification will be issued on April 18, the last date for nomination filing is April 25. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 29.
After delimitation, Pulwama and Shopian districts have been added to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency while two assembly segments — Budgam and Beerwah — have been deleted.
Baramulla constituency in north Kashmir will go to polls on May 20 in the fifth phase of elections. The notification will be issued on April 26 while May 3 will be the last date for filing nominations. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be May 6. The Ladakh Lok Sabha seat spread over Kargil and Leh districts will go to polls in the fifth phase of polls. A total of 86.93 lakh voters, including 42.58 lakh women and 161 people of third gender, are eligible to exercise their franchise in Jammu and Kashmir. Nearly three lakh voters form the electorate for the Ladakh seat.