India announces dates for national elections, starts from April 19

India has set the stage for its national elections with the announcement of polling dates. The electoral process, spanning across 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, will unfold in seven phases commencing from April 19 and culminating on June 1, with results slated for announcement on June 4.

In addition to the Lok Sabha elections, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar revealed plans for assembly elections in Sikkim, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. Speaking at a press conference, Kumar disclosed that voters aged above 85 years would be permitted to cast their votes from the comfort of their homes.

The electoral journey kicks off with the first phase of polling slated for April 19 in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, followed by Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on May 13. 

Moreover, by-elections are scheduled across 26 states, including prominent states like Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu. Notably, West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh are set to undergo elections in seven phases.

However, the absence of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir for over a decade remains conspicuous.
In a bid to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process, the CEC issued stern warnings to political parties against propagating racist and religious hate speech. Kumar emphasized the need for issue-based campaigning, prohibiting hate speech and religious references that encroach upon personal lives.

Furthermore, the CEC outlined guidelines concerning political advertisements in the media, urging clarity between advertisement content and news. Kumar stressed the importance of transparent communication to ensure that viewers can readily distinguish between political advertising and factual news reporting.