Delhi to go to polls on February 8 while the counting of the vote will take place on February 11, &nbsp;said Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Monday.

Term of current Delhi assembly expires on February 22, 2020.&nbsp;

Total electors in the final electoral roll of the NCT of Delhi as on 6 January 2020 are 1,46,92,136; Polling to be held at 13,750 polling stations, Arora said.&nbsp;

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Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Delhi assembly elections: Date of poll is 8th February, 2020 and counting of votes will take place on 11th February. <a href="https://t.co/1mv9Sa59ep">pic.twitter.com/1mv9Sa59ep</a>
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According to the election commission, the Model Code of Conduct shall be applicable for Delhi with immediate effect.

Arora, whose tenure is ending on February 22, said that he held a meeting with Chief Secretary and senior officials last month about holding elections.

Arora also announced pick and drop facilities for senior citizens who would like to vote. The postal ballot facility for people with disabilities and senior citizens above the age of eighty is also available.

Commenting on the volatile situation prevailing in Delhi, Arora said he was hopeful that situation would be under control and conducive for polls.&nbsp;

''If there is an extraordinary situation, there is always an option of deferring the polls. Constitution empowers ECI to take the call,'' he added.

Delhi to go to polls on February 8 while the counting of the vote will take place on February 11, said Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Monday. Term of current Delhi assembly expires on February 22, 2020.

Delhi to go to polls on February 8 while the counting of the vote will take place on February 11, said Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Monday. Term of current Delhi assembly expires on February 22, 2020. Total electors in the final electoral roll of the NCT of Delhi as on 6 January 2020 are 1,46,92,136; Polling to be held at 13,750 polling stations, Arora said. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Delhi assembly elections: Date of poll is 8th February, 2020 and counting of votes will take place on 11th February. pic.twitter.com/1mv9Sa59ep — ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2020 × According to the election commission, the Model Code of Conduct shall be applicable for Delhi with immediate effect. Arora, whose tenure is ending on February 22, said that he held a meeting with Chief Secretary and senior officials last month about holding elections. Arora also announced pick and drop facilities for senior citizens who would like to vote. The postal ballot facility for people with disabilities and senior citizens above the age of eighty is also available. Commenting on the volatile situation prevailing in Delhi, Arora said he was hopeful that situation would be under control and conducive for polls. ''If there is an extraordinary situation, there is always an option of deferring the polls. Constitution empowers ECI to take the call,'' he added.

Delhi assembly elections to be held on February 8; counting of votes on 11

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Saturday announced the dates for Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly election.

"In both the states,&nbsp;notification will be issued on September 27. The last date of nominations is October 4. Polling will be held on October 21 while counting will take place on October 24," Chief Election Commissioner&nbsp;announced.

''The 5-year term of the Legislative Assemblies of Haryana and Maharashtra expires on November 2 and November 9,'' Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said.

Sunil Arora further added that special security arrangements will be made for Left-wing extremism (LWE)&nbsp;affected areas in Gadchiroli and Gondia in Maharashtra.

''Election campaigns impose an environmental cost upon us. We appeal to political parties to avoid the use of plastic and use only environment-friendly material in their campaigns,''&nbsp;Election Commissioner said.

The commissioner further said that Haryana has 1.82 crore registered voters and Maharashtra has 8.94 crore voters.

The BJP came to power in the state in the last Assembly elections.

On the other hand, in Maharashtra, the BJP and Shiv Sena contested 2014 state Assembly elections separately after they failed to arrive at a seat-sharing formula.&nbsp;

However, they formed the government in the alliance after the elections as none of the parties was able to secure a majority on its own.&nbsp;

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Saturday announced the dates for Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly election. "In both the states, notification will be issued on September 27.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Saturday announced the dates for Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly election. "In both the states, notification will be issued on September 27. The last date of nominations is October 4. Polling will be held on October 21 while counting will take place on October 24," Chief Election Commissioner announced. ''The 5-year term of the Legislative Assemblies of Haryana and Maharashtra expires on November 2 and November 9,'' Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said. Sunil Arora further added that special security arrangements will be made for Left-wing extremism (LWE) affected areas in Gadchiroli and Gondia in Maharashtra. ''Election campaigns impose an environmental cost upon us. We appeal to political parties to avoid the use of plastic and use only environment-friendly material in their campaigns,'' Election Commissioner said. The commissioner further said that Haryana has 1.82 crore registered voters and Maharashtra has 8.94 crore voters. The BJP came to power in the state in the last Assembly elections. On the other hand, in Maharashtra, the BJP and Shiv Sena contested 2014 state Assembly elections separately after they failed to arrive at a seat-sharing formula. However, they formed the government in the alliance after the elections as none of the parties was able to secure a majority on its own.

Election Commission announces assembly election dates for Maharashtra and Haryana; counting on October 24

Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday reviewed poll preparedness ahead of upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, officials of the state election commission and state police officers were also present in the meeting.

The Commission also met political parties.

"Election Commission is looking after the poll preparation. They are meeting with political parties. We told them that the Commission should prepare a plan since Diwali festival is also coinciding. We said that the election should be held in phases. We demanded that the Media Certification Committee should be open 24x7 and approve publicity material quickly. We also requested that expenditure of a candidate should also be increased," Shiv Sena leader Anil Desai told ANI.

Maharashtra Assembly elections are due in October-November this year.

"We requested that election expenditure should be increased. There is also a deadline for permission for only 24 hours. We have urged that it should be increased to seven days," NCP leader Nawab Malik said.

Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday reviewed poll preparedness ahead of upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, officials of the state election commission and state police officers were also present in the meeting.

Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday reviewed poll preparedness ahead of upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, officials of the state election commission and state police officers were also present in the meeting. The Commission also met political parties. "Election Commission is looking after the poll preparation. They are meeting with political parties. We told them that the Commission should prepare a plan since Diwali festival is also coinciding. We said that the election should be held in phases. We demanded that the Media Certification Committee should be open 24x7 and approve publicity material quickly. We also requested that expenditure of a candidate should also be increased," Shiv Sena leader Anil Desai told ANI. Maharashtra Assembly elections are due in October-November this year. "We requested that election expenditure should be increased. There is also a deadline for permission for only 24 hours. We have urged that it should be increased to seven days," NCP leader Nawab Malik said.

Election Commission reviews preparedness ahead of upcoming Maharashtra polls

Fearing manipulation, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday wrote to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora, seeking deployment of additional observer and security forces at the strong rooms.

AAP has alleged the opposition parties have "planned attempts to gerrymander with EVMs a day or two ahead of the actual counting on May 23."

"I have strong reasons to believe our political adversaries will attempt to open strong rooms housing EVMs and manipulate or replace the machines as a handful of such incidents in the past have been witnessed," AAP's south Delhi candidate Raghav Chadha stated in the letter to Arora on Monday.

"Alarming as it may be, this would not be the first time such an attack on the electoral process would take place," Chadha, also a national spokesperson of AAP, has further stated in the letter.

"You may recall the municipal elections of 2017, at which time, specifically in a ward falling within South Delhi parliamentary constituency, strong rooms were violated and seals had been broken prior to the day assigned for counting," reads the letter.

"In addition to the already appointed Election Observer whose role is to oversee the entire electoral process, we request the ECI to appoint another independent observer whose sole focus shall be to maintain a watchful eye on strong rooms and ensure safety and security of EVMs. Until the declaration of results, the observer must ensure safe custody and integrity of EVMs."

"We request the CRPF security at Jijabaji Institute, where South Delhi's EVMs are housed, be tightened. It is further requested that additional CRPF personnel may be deployed to keep a watch over the strong rooms round the clock."

All seven seats in the city-state went to polls on May 12 during the sixth phase of seven-phased Lok Sabha polls. In South Delhi parliamentary constituency, Raghav Chadha is faced with BJP`s sitting MP Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress` Vijender Singh. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.&nbsp;

Fearing manipulation, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday wrote to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora, seeking deployment of additional observer and security forces at the strong rooms.

Fearing manipulation, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday wrote to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora, seeking deployment of additional observer and security forces at the strong rooms. AAP has alleged the opposition parties have "planned attempts to gerrymander with EVMs a day or two ahead of the actual counting on May 23." "I have strong reasons to believe our political adversaries will attempt to open strong rooms housing EVMs and manipulate or replace the machines as a handful of such incidents in the past have been witnessed," AAP's south Delhi candidate Raghav Chadha stated in the letter to Arora on Monday. "Alarming as it may be, this would not be the first time such an attack on the electoral process would take place," Chadha, also a national spokesperson of AAP, has further stated in the letter. "You may recall the municipal elections of 2017, at which time, specifically in a ward falling within South Delhi parliamentary constituency, strong rooms were violated and seals had been broken prior to the day assigned for counting," reads the letter. "In addition to the already appointed Election Observer whose role is to oversee the entire electoral process, we request the ECI to appoint another independent observer whose sole focus shall be to maintain a watchful eye on strong rooms and ensure safety and security of EVMs. Until the declaration of results, the observer must ensure safe custody and integrity of EVMs." "We request the CRPF security at Jijabaji Institute, where South Delhi's EVMs are housed, be tightened. It is further requested that additional CRPF personnel may be deployed to keep a watch over the strong rooms round the clock." All seven seats in the city-state went to polls on May 12 during the sixth phase of seven-phased Lok Sabha polls. In South Delhi parliamentary constituency, Raghav Chadha is faced with BJP`s sitting MP Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress` Vijender Singh. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

AAP seeks additional security at strong room in Delhi, writes to Chief Election Commissioner

Differences in the Election Commission have burst out in the open with Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa boycotting the meetings of the full Commission over his dissent on crucial decisions not being recorded.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora hit back at Lavasa, saying "ill-timed" controversies should be avoided and has called a meeting of the full Commission on May 21 to discuss and thrash out issues.

Arora also sought to downplay the controversy saying all the Commissioners are "not expected to be template or clones of each other".

Lavasa, who had dissented on the series of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/election-commission-gives-clean-chit-to-pm-modi-over-pulwama-remark-roadshow-in-ahmedabad-sources-216677">clean chits given by the Commission to Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> and BJP President Amit Shah on their speeches during the election campaign, had&nbsp;written a letter to Arora on May 16 even hinting at "taking recourse to other measures" for restoring the "lawful" functioning of the Commission in terms of recording minority decisions.

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Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora issues statement on EC Ashok Lavasa's purported letter to him, says, 'an unsavory and avoidable controversy reported in sections of media today about internal functioning of ECI in respect of handling of Model Code of Conduct.' (3/3) <a href="https://t.co/yuRxOHMaGL">pic.twitter.com/yuRxOHMaGL</a>
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"I am being forced to stay away from the meetings of the full Commission since minority decisions are not being recorded. My participation in the deliberations of the Commission becomes meaningless since my minority decisions go unrecorded," he said.

Lavasa said he might consider taking recourse to other measures aimed at restoring the lawful functioning of the Commission in terms of recording minority decisions.

"My various notes on the need for transparency in the recording and disclosure of all decisions including the minority view have gone unheeded, forcing me to withdraw from participating in the deliberations of the complaints," he said in the letter to Arora.

The office of the CEC on Saturday released a statement of Arora which said there has been an "unsavoury and avoidable" controversy reported in the media today about the internal functioning of the Commission in respect of the handling Mode Code of Conduct.

This, he said, has come at a time when all the Chief Electoral Officers throughout the country and their teams were geared for the seventh and last phase of polling on Sunday.

All of them and the senior officers of the EC headquarters have been working their utmost during the last six phases of elections which barring an odd incident here and there have been largely peaceful and conducted in a fair, free and transparent manner.

"The three members of ECI are not expected to be template or clones of each other. There have been so many times in the past when there has been a vast diversion of views as it can and should be. But the same largely remained within the confines of ECI after demission of office unless appearing much later in a book written by the concerned ECs, CECs."

"I said a few days back in another leading daily that eloquence of silence is always difficult but far more desirable which is to see the election process through instead of creating ill-timed controversies."

Arora said it needs to be mentioned in the last meeting of the Commission on May 14, it was unanimously decided that some groups shall be formed to deliberate the issues, which arose in the course of conduct of Lok Sabha elections just as it was done after the elections in 2014.

Out of the 13 issues and areas which were identified, Model Code of Conduct is one of them, Arora said.

Lavasa had opposed and dissented on the clean chits given by the Commission to Modi and Shah over the alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct by them during their campaign.

The Congress and CPI(M) had complained against Modi's speeches invoking the armed forces in the context of the Balakot aerial strikes and on issues relating to minorities. EC sources said it needs to be clarified categorically and unambiguously that this was purely an internal matter of the Election Commission and as such any speculation, innuendoes and insinuations in this regard should be eschewed.

&nbsp;

Differences in the Election Commission have burst out in the open with Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa boycotting the meetings of the full Commission over his dissent on crucial decisions not being recorded.

Differences in the Election Commission have burst out in the open with Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa boycotting the meetings of the full Commission over his dissent on crucial decisions not being recorded. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora hit back at Lavasa, saying "ill-timed" controversies should be avoided and has called a meeting of the full Commission on May 21 to discuss and thrash out issues. Arora also sought to downplay the controversy saying all the Commissioners are "not expected to be template or clones of each other". Lavasa, who had dissented on the series of clean chits given by the Commission to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah on their speeches during the election campaign, had written a letter to Arora on May 16 even hinting at "taking recourse to other measures" for restoring the "lawful" functioning of the Commission in terms of recording minority decisions. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora issues statement on EC Ashok Lavasa's purported letter to him, says, 'an unsavory and avoidable controversy reported in sections of media today about internal functioning of ECI in respect of handling of Model Code of Conduct.' (3/3) pic.twitter.com/yuRxOHMaGL — ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2019 × "I am being forced to stay away from the meetings of the full Commission since minority decisions are not being recorded. My participation in the deliberations of the Commission becomes meaningless since my minority decisions go unrecorded," he said. Lavasa said he might consider taking recourse to other measures aimed at restoring the lawful functioning of the Commission in terms of recording minority decisions. "My various notes on the need for transparency in the recording and disclosure of all decisions including the minority view have gone unheeded, forcing me to withdraw from participating in the deliberations of the complaints," he said in the letter to Arora. The office of the CEC on Saturday released a statement of Arora which said there has been an "unsavoury and avoidable" controversy reported in the media today about the internal functioning of the Commission in respect of the handling Mode Code of Conduct. This, he said, has come at a time when all the Chief Electoral Officers throughout the country and their teams were geared for the seventh and last phase of polling on Sunday. All of them and the senior officers of the EC headquarters have been working their utmost during the last six phases of elections which barring an odd incident here and there have been largely peaceful and conducted in a fair, free and transparent manner. "The three members of ECI are not expected to be template or clones of each other. There have been so many times in the past when there has been a vast diversion of views as it can and should be. But the same largely remained within the confines of ECI after demission of office unless appearing much later in a book written by the concerned ECs, CECs." "I said a few days back in another leading daily that eloquence of silence is always difficult but far more desirable which is to see the election process through instead of creating ill-timed controversies." Arora said it needs to be mentioned in the last meeting of the Commission on May 14, it was unanimously decided that some groups shall be formed to deliberate the issues, which arose in the course of conduct of Lok Sabha elections just as it was done after the elections in 2014. Out of the 13 issues and areas which were identified, Model Code of Conduct is one of them, Arora said. Lavasa had opposed and dissented on the clean chits given by the Commission to Modi and Shah over the alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct by them during their campaign. The Congress and CPI(M) had complained against Modi's speeches invoking the armed forces in the context of the Balakot aerial strikes and on issues relating to minorities. EC sources said it needs to be clarified categorically and unambiguously that this was purely an internal matter of the Election Commission and as such any speculation, innuendoes and insinuations in this regard should be eschewed.

Ill-timed controversies must be avoided: Chief Election Commissioner hits back at Ashok Lavasa, denies reports of rift in EC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora on Tuesday met with heads and representatives of various social media platforms ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss various issues related to social media content in lieu of Model Code of Conduct which has been implemented in India since after the announcement of Lok Sabha Elections on March 10.

The social media heads and representatives who attended the meeting included Mahima Kaul from Twitter, Piyush Poddar and Chetan Krishnaswamy from Google, Sasha Mathew from WhatsApp, Shivnath Thujral from Facebook, Chitrita Chatterjee from Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), Berges Y&nbsp;Malu from Share Chat , Apruva Mehta from Tiktok and Nagesh Banga from Bigo TV.

The meeting was also attended by Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and Ashok Lavasa.

President of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) Subho Roy was also present in the meeting.

Earlier March 6, The Chairman of&nbsp;Parliamentary Committee&nbsp;on&nbsp;Information Technology,&nbsp;Anurag Thakur&nbsp;had said that social media giants&nbsp;Facebook,&nbsp;Whatsapp&nbsp;and Instagram have accepted that there is a need for corrective measures to keep a check on posts that lead to communal tensions, incite violence or pose threat to national security.&nbsp;

Thakur made these remarks after meeting with officials of&nbsp;Facebook,&nbsp;Whatsapp&nbsp;and Instagram.

Even prior to that, following concerns by various political parties, Thakur&nbsp;had allowed Colin Crowell, Vice President and Global Policy Head of&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;to appear before the committee on February 6 and had directed the micro-blogging site to ensure no interference of foreign entities in Indian elections.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora on Tuesday met with heads and representatives of various social media platforms ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora on Tuesday met with heads and representatives of various social media platforms ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss various issues related to social media content in lieu of Model Code of Conduct which has been implemented in India since after the announcement of Lok Sabha Elections on March 10. The social media heads and representatives who attended the meeting included Mahima Kaul from Twitter, Piyush Poddar and Chetan Krishnaswamy from Google, Sasha Mathew from WhatsApp, Shivnath Thujral from Facebook, Chitrita Chatterjee from Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), Berges Y Malu from Share Chat , Apruva Mehta from Tiktok and Nagesh Banga from Bigo TV. The meeting was also attended by Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and Ashok Lavasa. President of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) Subho Roy was also present in the meeting. Earlier March 6, The Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology, Anurag Thakur had said that social media giants Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram have accepted that there is a need for corrective measures to keep a check on posts that lead to communal tensions, incite violence or pose threat to national security. Thakur made these remarks after meeting with officials of Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram. Even prior to that, following concerns by various political parties, Thakur had allowed Colin Crowell, Vice President and Global Policy Head of Twitter to appear before the committee on February 6 and had directed the micro-blogging site to ensure no interference of foreign entities in Indian elections.

Lok Sabha polls: Chief Election Commissioner meets with social media heads on Model Code of Conduct

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-polls-is-all-about-stability-versus-vulnerability-pm-modi-200614">The 2019 Lok Sabha elections</a> are to be held in seven phases starting April 11.&nbsp;The announcement was made Sunday by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora.&nbsp;

The polling dates over the seven phases are April 11, April 18, April 23, May 6, May 12, and May 19. All votes will be counted on May 23.&nbsp;

Arora said Sunday that 91 constituencies would go to the polls in the&nbsp;first phase, 97 in the second,&nbsp;115 in the&nbsp;third, 71 in the&nbsp;fourth, 51 in the&nbsp;fifth, 59 in the sixth, and 59 in the&nbsp;seventh and last phase.

He added that assembly polls would be held along with the Lok Sabha polls in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LokSabhaElection2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LokSabhaElection2019</a>: Phase1 polling in- Andhra, Arunachal, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andaman&amp;Nicobar, Dadra&amp;Nagar Haveli, Daman&amp;Diu, Lakshadweep, Delhi, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand. <a href="https://t.co/oyPRgeUAMK">pic.twitter.com/oyPRgeUAMK</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1104719122032545794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner: Total electorate in this Lok Sabha elections will be 900 million, of which 15 million voters are in the 18-19 age group. <a href="https://t.co/LyqvJtu3gQ">pic.twitter.com/LyqvJtu3gQ</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1104710119978196992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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It had been speculated that simultaneous&nbsp;polls would also be held in Jammu and Kashmir. Elections, after the dissolution of the state assembly, have to be held in the state before the end of May but Arora said Sunday that polls would not be held in J&amp;K along with the Lok Sabha elections.&nbsp;

Arora said Sunday that 900 million people would be eligible to vote in 2019, with 15 million of them being in the age group of 18 to 19 years.&nbsp;

Arora added that a total of 10 lakh polling booths would be put up for the elections (an increase of 1 lakh from the 2014 elections) and that VVPAT machines (used to detect election fraud) would be housed in all polling booths.

Arora added Sunday that the model code of conduct was now in effect.

Among other things, the code bars the government from announcing policy decisions.&nbsp;

After the chief election commissioner's announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished "all political parties and candidates the very best for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections".&nbsp;

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Wishing all political parties and candidates the very best for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 
 
We may belong to different parties but our aim must be the same- the development of India and empowerment of every Indian!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1104723091245027333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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The last five years have shown that with the blessings and participation of 130 crore Indians, what was earlier deemed impossible has now become possible. 
 
2019 polls are about a spirit of confidence and positivity with which India is fulfilling the aspirations of its people.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1104723275190394889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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He tweeted that "we may belong to different parties but our aim must be the same — the development of India and empowerment of every Indian!"

The 2019 Lok Sabha elections are to be held in seven phases starting April 11. The announcement was made Sunday by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora. The polling dates over the seven phases are April 11, April 18, April 23, May 6, May 12, and May 19.

The 2019 Lok Sabha elections are to be held in seven phases starting April 11. The announcement was made Sunday by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora. The polling dates over the seven phases are April 11, April 18, April 23, May 6, May 12, and May 19. All votes will be counted on May 23. Arora said Sunday that 91 constituencies would go to the polls in the first phase, 97 in the second, 115 in the third, 71 in the fourth, 51 in the fifth, 59 in the sixth, and 59 in the seventh and last phase. He added that assembly polls would be held along with the Lok Sabha polls in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. #LokSabhaElection2019: Phase1 polling in- Andhra, Arunachal, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andaman&Nicobar, Dadra&Nagar Haveli, Daman&Diu, Lakshadweep, Delhi, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand. pic.twitter.com/oyPRgeUAMK — ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2019 × Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner: Total electorate in this Lok Sabha elections will be 900 million, of which 15 million voters are in the 18-19 age group. pic.twitter.com/LyqvJtu3gQ — ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2019 × It had been speculated that simultaneous polls would also be held in Jammu and Kashmir. Elections, after the dissolution of the state assembly, have to be held in the state before the end of May but Arora said Sunday that polls would not be held in J&K along with the Lok Sabha elections. Arora said Sunday that 900 million people would be eligible to vote in 2019, with 15 million of them being in the age group of 18 to 19 years. Arora added that a total of 10 lakh polling booths would be put up for the elections (an increase of 1 lakh from the 2014 elections) and that VVPAT machines (used to detect election fraud) would be housed in all polling booths. Arora added Sunday that the model code of conduct was now in effect. Among other things, the code bars the government from announcing policy decisions. After the chief election commissioner's announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished "all political parties and candidates the very best for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections". Wishing all political parties and candidates the very best for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. We may belong to different parties but our aim must be the same- the development of India and empowerment of every Indian! — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 10, 2019 × The last five years have shown that with the blessings and participation of 130 crore Indians, what was earlier deemed impossible has now become possible. 2019 polls are about a spirit of confidence and positivity with which India is fulfilling the aspirations of its people. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 10, 2019 × He tweeted that "we may belong to different parties but our aim must be the same — the development of India and empowerment of every Indian!"

Lok Sabha polls to be held in seven phases from April 11, results on May 23

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has said — categorically — that the Election Commission is going to continue to use electronic voting machines. He added that they would <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/evm-hacking-claim-centre-alleges-congress-organised-hackathon-in-london-opposition-calls-for-switch-to-ballot-box-191969">not be "bullied" or "intimidated" into using ballot papers</a>.&nbsp;

Arora made his comments at an event in Delhi.&nbsp;

"I would like to make it very clear that we are not going back to the era of ballot papers," he said.&nbsp;

"We will continue to use EVMs (electronic voting machines) and VVPATs (voter-verified paper audit trail," he added. &nbsp;

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CEC Sunil Arora in Delhi: We will continue to use EVMs &amp; VVPATs. We are open to any criticism &amp; feedback from any stakeholder including political parties. At the same time, we are not going to be intimidated, bullied or coerced into giving up these and start era of ballot papers. <a href="https://t.co/bco5DOSfTd">pic.twitter.com/bco5DOSfTd</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1088306788225744896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"We are open to any criticism and feedback from any stakeholder including political parties. At the same time, we are not going to be intimidated, bullied or coerced into giving up these and start era of ballot papers," Arora said.&nbsp;

There has been a long history of criticism of EVMs in India, especially so since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014. (The criticism however has never been backed up by solid proof.)&nbsp;

In 2017, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had dared the Election Commission to give him any EVM, saying he would hack it in 90 seconds.&nbsp;

And only this week, a self-proclaimed cyber expert, Syed Shuja, called a hackathon in London.&nbsp;

Shuja made a series of sensational claims in London, including that EVMs were hacked in the 2014 general elections and that&nbsp;senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde was "murdered" before he could expose the alleged crime.&nbsp;

The BJP has said the hackathon was sponsored by the Congress since party leader Kapil Sibal had attended it.&nbsp;

Despite the lack of proof offered by Shuja, a number of leaders including the BSP's Mayawati, the SP's Akhilesh Yadav, and the TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu have called for the junking of the EVMs and a return to ballot papers.&nbsp;

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has said — categorically — that the Election Commission is going to continue to use electronic voting machines. He added that they would not be "bullied" or "intimidated" into using ballot papers.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has said — categorically — that the Election Commission is going to continue to use electronic voting machines. He added that they would not be "bullied" or "intimidated" into using ballot papers. Arora made his comments at an event in Delhi. "I would like to make it very clear that we are not going back to the era of ballot papers," he said. "We will continue to use EVMs (electronic voting machines) and VVPATs (voter-verified paper audit trail," he added. CEC Sunil Arora in Delhi: We will continue to use EVMs & VVPATs. We are open to any criticism & feedback from any stakeholder including political parties. At the same time, we are not going to be intimidated, bullied or coerced into giving up these and start era of ballot papers. pic.twitter.com/bco5DOSfTd — ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2019 × "We are open to any criticism and feedback from any stakeholder including political parties. At the same time, we are not going to be intimidated, bullied or coerced into giving up these and start era of ballot papers," Arora said. There has been a long history of criticism of EVMs in India, especially so since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014. (The criticism however has never been backed up by solid proof.) In 2017, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had dared the Election Commission to give him any EVM, saying he would hack it in 90 seconds. And only this week, a self-proclaimed cyber expert, Syed Shuja, called a hackathon in London. Shuja made a series of sensational claims in London, including that EVMs were hacked in the 2014 general elections and that senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde was "murdered" before he could expose the alleged crime. The BJP has said the hackathon was sponsored by the Congress since party leader Kapil Sibal had attended it. Despite the lack of proof offered by Shuja, a number of leaders including the BSP's Mayawati, the SP's Akhilesh Yadav, and the TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu have called for the junking of the EVMs and a return to ballot papers.

Election Commission will not be 'bullied, intimidated' into going back to ballot papers: CEC

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sunil-arora-takes-charge-as-new-chief-election-commissioner-of-india-180847">Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora</a> Friday lamented that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were being treated like a "football" by parties suffering electoral losses, and said the voting equipment was foolproof as far as fears of manipulation were concerned.

Talking to reporters here upon the conclusion of his two-day tour of Bihar, the CEC, heading a team of the poll panel, said though EVMs could suffer occasional technical snags, they were promptly fixed.

"It is not possible to manipulate the EVMs. It is definitely foolproof as far as apprehensions of conspiracy and manipulation are concerned. But technical snags are possible as in case of any other device," he said.

"But the incidence of snags has been very low. In the recent assembly polls in five states, 1.76 lakh EVMs were installed out of which only six reported the malfunction. The complaints were promptly taken care of," Arora claimed.

Asked about apprehensions expressed about EVMs by several parties, he said they had noticed that whenever a party lost an election it started having complaints about EVMs which vanished the moment it won.&nbsp;

"It is my request to all, please do not make EVMs a football," Arora said.

He said VVPATs were introduced to address the misgivings that people might have about EVMs.&nbsp;

"The Lok Sabha polls would see the use of these on a still larger scale. The Election Commission is committed to holding the elections in a free and fair manner," he said.

Replying to a query regarding the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he said once all preparations are complete and the election schedule drawn, the EC would announce it at a press conference in New Delhi.

He also said during the EC team's tour of Bihar, instructions were issued for completing the revision of electoral rolls by January 31.

Earlier, on Thursday upon its arrival in the city, the EC team had interacted with representatives of various political parties which had come up with suggestions to improve the poll process.

While the RJD had come out strongly against the EVMs and advocated reverting to the use of ballot papers, the JD(U) had stressed on making VVPATs available at every polling booth.

The CPI came up with an elaborate list of suggestions which included limiting the number of voters in a booth to 800 and setting up mobile polling stations which could be of help to those having difficulty in travelling to their respective booths.

The BJP requested that complaints of anomalies in electoral rolls be seriously looked into and resolved.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Talking to reporters here upon the conclusion of his two-day tour of Bihar, the CEC, heading a team of the poll panel, said though EVMs could suffer occasional technical snags, they were promptly fixed.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora Friday lamented that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were being treated like a "football" by parties suffering electoral losses, and said the voting equipment was foolproof as far as fears of manipulation were concerned. Talking to reporters here upon the conclusion of his two-day tour of Bihar, the CEC, heading a team of the poll panel, said though EVMs could suffer occasional technical snags, they were promptly fixed. "It is not possible to manipulate the EVMs. It is definitely foolproof as far as apprehensions of conspiracy and manipulation are concerned. But technical snags are possible as in case of any other device," he said. "But the incidence of snags has been very low. In the recent assembly polls in five states, 1.76 lakh EVMs were installed out of which only six reported the malfunction. The complaints were promptly taken care of," Arora claimed. Asked about apprehensions expressed about EVMs by several parties, he said they had noticed that whenever a party lost an election it started having complaints about EVMs which vanished the moment it won. "It is my request to all, please do not make EVMs a football," Arora said. He said VVPATs were introduced to address the misgivings that people might have about EVMs. "The Lok Sabha polls would see the use of these on a still larger scale. The Election Commission is committed to holding the elections in a free and fair manner," he said. Replying to a query regarding the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he said once all preparations are complete and the election schedule drawn, the EC would announce it at a press conference in New Delhi. He also said during the EC team's tour of Bihar, instructions were issued for completing the revision of electoral rolls by January 31. Earlier, on Thursday upon its arrival in the city, the EC team had interacted with representatives of various political parties which had come up with suggestions to improve the poll process. While the RJD had come out strongly against the EVMs and advocated reverting to the use of ballot papers, the JD(U) had stressed on making VVPATs available at every polling booth. The CPI came up with an elaborate list of suggestions which included limiting the number of voters in a booth to 800 and setting up mobile polling stations which could be of help to those having difficulty in travelling to their respective booths. The BJP requested that complaints of anomalies in electoral rolls be seriously looked into and resolved.

EVMs being treated like football by parties suffering electoral losses: Chief Election Commissioner

A two-day conference of the Chief Electoral Officers of all the States and Union Territories was organised by the Election commission on January 11 and 12 which focused on the integrity of the electoral roll, meticulous planning for elections, EVM and VVPAT assessment and training and extensive voter outreach.

A comprehensive review of poll preparedness of the states prior to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/2019-lok-sabha-elections-the-challenge-of-job-creation-188922">the General elections 2019</a> was conducted through these two days.

 
Addressing the CEOs, the Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora emphasised on the fact that the electoral roll that is currently under the process of revision and finalisation will be used in the forthcoming General elections. He also said that every effort must be made so that all voters are registered well in time. He reaffirmed the significance of the 1950 Helpline for the voters and its role as the First point of Care for the voter in finding her name in the Role, EPIC status and in connecting to the Election machinery and exercising her democratic right. He directed all the state CEOs to set in place support systems for the 1950 Helpline as early as possible.

Arora reiterated the commitment of the Election commission of India to provide assured minimum facilities in all polling stations. He also directed the CEOs to have their Booth level, District level, and State level Plans ready and conduct a meticulous assessment of all resources required for the conduct of elections. The States and the UTs must assess their EVM/ VVPAT requirements and also ensure adherence to the timelines specified for completion of their First Level checking. He laid stress upon extensive Hands on experience of the EVM and VVPAT among the voters as well as during the training of polling officials as it helps to minimize the glitches and also boosts confidence among the stakeholders.

Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, in his address to the CEOs, reiterated the immense significance of the integrity of the electoral roll at this crucial juncture. He said that the entire election machinery must now be geared up in order to deliver yet another flawless election to the country. In order to accomplish this herculean task, a detailed planning process and a leadership role have to be assumed by the CEO at the state and the DEOs in the districts. He suggested to each state to reach out to each and every voter and develop innovative mechanisms to facilitate voting for People with a disability. He also emphasised upon coordination with bordering states as well as with other agencies in order to give more teeth to the expenditure Monitoring mechanisms operative in the states.

Through the two-day conference, each and every aspect of the conduct of election including the availability of sufficient budget, manpower, resources, SVEEP, planning, polling station arrangements and IT applications including Suvidha, Sugam, and C-Vigil were discussed in detail and the preparedness of States/UTs on each of these parameters was assessed.

The five states which had recently undergone Assembly elections - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Telangana, and Rajasthan gave a presentation on the takeaways and the learnings from their experiences. Chhattisgarh had developed an app to track their polling personnel which streamlined the process. Madhya Pradesh developed an app to ensure queue less voting experience for people with disabilities, pregnant women and women with infants. These five states demonstrated how technology can be leveraged to enhance voter experience and also provide crucial data in an instant to the election officers.

Mizoram highlighted its successful conduct of elections despite initial problems. The Mizoram experience was on building bridges with the civil society organizations, opening dialogue and also the setting up of polling stations for the Bru community in coordination with the state of Tripura was a notable achievement.

Both Rajasthan and Telangana cited several instances of innovative campaigns incorporating local cultural practices which led to a good turn out in these states.

All the other CEOs of States and UTs made comprehensive presentations to the Commission on the key areas of their preparations for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

A comprehensive review of poll preparedness of the states prior to the General elections 2019 was conducted in the last two days.

A two-day conference of the Chief Electoral Officers of all the States and Union Territories was organised by the Election commission on January 11 and 12 which focused on the integrity of the electoral roll, meticulous planning for elections, EVM and VVPAT assessment and training and extensive voter outreach. A comprehensive review of poll preparedness of the states prior to the General elections 2019 was conducted through these two days. Addressing the CEOs, the Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora emphasised on the fact that the electoral roll that is currently under the process of revision and finalisation will be used in the forthcoming General elections. He also said that every effort must be made so that all voters are registered well in time. He reaffirmed the significance of the 1950 Helpline for the voters and its role as the First point of Care for the voter in finding her name in the Role, EPIC status and in connecting to the Election machinery and exercising her democratic right. He directed all the state CEOs to set in place support systems for the 1950 Helpline as early as possible. Arora reiterated the commitment of the Election commission of India to provide assured minimum facilities in all polling stations. He also directed the CEOs to have their Booth level, District level, and State level Plans ready and conduct a meticulous assessment of all resources required for the conduct of elections. The States and the UTs must assess their EVM/ VVPAT requirements and also ensure adherence to the timelines specified for completion of their First Level checking. He laid stress upon extensive Hands on experience of the EVM and VVPAT among the voters as well as during the training of polling officials as it helps to minimize the glitches and also boosts confidence among the stakeholders. Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, in his address to the CEOs, reiterated the immense significance of the integrity of the electoral roll at this crucial juncture. He said that the entire election machinery must now be geared up in order to deliver yet another flawless election to the country. In order to accomplish this herculean task, a detailed planning process and a leadership role have to be assumed by the CEO at the state and the DEOs in the districts. He suggested to each state to reach out to each and every voter and develop innovative mechanisms to facilitate voting for People with a disability. He also emphasised upon coordination with bordering states as well as with other agencies in order to give more teeth to the expenditure Monitoring mechanisms operative in the states. Through the two-day conference, each and every aspect of the conduct of election including the availability of sufficient budget, manpower, resources, SVEEP, planning, polling station arrangements and IT applications including Suvidha, Sugam, and C-Vigil were discussed in detail and the preparedness of States/UTs on each of these parameters was assessed. The five states which had recently undergone Assembly elections - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Telangana, and Rajasthan gave a presentation on the takeaways and the learnings from their experiences. Chhattisgarh had developed an app to track their polling personnel which streamlined the process. Madhya Pradesh developed an app to ensure queue less voting experience for people with disabilities, pregnant women and women with infants. These five states demonstrated how technology can be leveraged to enhance voter experience and also provide crucial data in an instant to the election officers. Mizoram highlighted its successful conduct of elections despite initial problems. The Mizoram experience was on building bridges with the civil society organizations, opening dialogue and also the setting up of polling stations for the Bru community in coordination with the state of Tripura was a notable achievement. Both Rajasthan and Telangana cited several instances of innovative campaigns incorporating local cultural practices which led to a good turn out in these states. All the other CEOs of States and UTs made comprehensive presentations to the Commission on the key areas of their preparations for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

Election Commission India reviews Poll Preparedness with all State CEOs

Sunil Arora took charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner of India on Sunday. Arora was appointed to office by President Ram Nath Kovind earlier this week, he succeeds OP Rawat who demitted office on Saturday.&nbsp;

A notification issued by the Law Ministry said the 62-year-old former bureaucrat would take over his new position Sunday.

Under Arora's leadership, the Election Commission will hold the 2019 general election.&nbsp;

A former bureaucrat, Sunil Arora was appointed as the election commissioner in August last year. He had been the information and broadcasting secretary, and secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">Delhi: Sunil Arora takes charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner of India <a href="https://t.co/7ruBbg5MN5">pic.twitter.com/7ruBbg5MN5</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1069102058396098560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


A 1980-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Mr Arora had worked in ministries such as finance, textiles and also at the Planning Commission.

A Chief Election Commissioner or an EC can have a tenure of six years or hold office till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. The convention is to appoint the senior-most election commissioner as chief election commissioner.

(With inputs from PTI)

Sunil Arora took charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner of India on Sunday. Arora was appointed to office by President Ram Nath Kovind earlier this week, he succeeds OP Rawat who demitted office on Saturday.

Sunil Arora took charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner of India on Sunday. Arora was appointed to office by President Ram Nath Kovind earlier this week, he succeeds OP Rawat who demitted office on Saturday. A notification issued by the Law Ministry said the 62-year-old former bureaucrat would take over his new position Sunday. Under Arora's leadership, the Election Commission will hold the 2019 general election. A former bureaucrat, Sunil Arora was appointed as the election commissioner in August last year. He had been the information and broadcasting secretary, and secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Delhi: Sunil Arora takes charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner of India pic.twitter.com/7ruBbg5MN5 — ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2018 A 1980-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Mr Arora had worked in ministries such as finance, textiles and also at the Planning Commission. A Chief Election Commissioner or an EC can have a tenure of six years or hold office till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. The convention is to appoint the senior-most election commissioner as chief election commissioner. (With inputs from PTI)

Sunil Arora takes charge as new Chief Election Commissioner of India 

Senior IAS officer Sunil Arora appointed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday.

Sunil Arora is a 1980-batch IAS officer belonging to the Rajasthan cadre 
will be taking over on December 2 and will be in charge of the poll body when the 2019 general elections take place, media reports said.

Arora will be replacing OP Rawat for the post of the poll panel chief.

An EC or CEC has a tenure of six years. But if officers turn 65 before that, they demit office.

Sunil Arora had been the Information and Broadcasting Secretary, and Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

He has also worked in ministries and departments such as Finance, Textiles and Planning Commission.

He served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation during 1999-2002 and CMD, Indian Airlines for five years (two years as an additional charge and three years as full charge).

In Rajasthan, besides district postings in Dholpur, Alwar, Nagaur and Jodhpur, he was Secretary to the Chief Minister during 1993-1998 and Principal Secretary to CM (2005- 2008) and handled Information and Public Relations (IPR), Industries and Investment Departments.

Senior IAS officer Sunil Arora appointed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday. Sunil Arora is a 1980-batch IAS officer belonging to the Rajasthan cadre will be taking over on December 2 and will be in charge of the poll body when the 2019 general elections take place, media reports said.

Senior IAS officer Sunil Arora appointed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday. Sunil Arora is a 1980-batch IAS officer belonging to the Rajasthan cadre will be taking over on December 2 and will be in charge of the poll body when the 2019 general elections take place, media reports said. Arora will be replacing OP Rawat for the post of the poll panel chief. An EC or CEC has a tenure of six years. But if officers turn 65 before that, they demit office. Sunil Arora had been the Information and Broadcasting Secretary, and Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. He has also worked in ministries and departments such as Finance, Textiles and Planning Commission. He served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation during 1999-2002 and CMD, Indian Airlines for five years (two years as an additional charge and three years as full charge). In Rajasthan, besides district postings in Dholpur, Alwar, Nagaur and Jodhpur, he was Secretary to the Chief Minister during 1993-1998 and Principal Secretary to CM (2005- 2008) and handled Information and Public Relations (IPR), Industries and Investment Departments.

Sunil Arora appointed chief election commissioner, to take charge on 2 December

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