Announcing the Lok Sabha election schedule here on Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) provided details on the country's voter list, polling booths, the number of EVMs to be used, and the security protocols to be implemented for the peaceful conduct of the polls, among other details.
Rajiv Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), and newly-appointed Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu disclosed the details at a press conference here.
Kumar said there are 96.8 crore registered voters in the country, including 49.7 crore male voters, and 47.1 crore female voters.
Talking about the magnitude of the Lok Sabha polls, the CEC said: “The total number of voters (in India) is more than the combined voters of many continents.”
Over 10.5 lakh polling stations have been set up with 1.5 crore polling officials and security staff on poll duty. More than 55 lakh EVMs and 4 lakh vehicles will be deployed for the elections, the CEC informed.
Kumar also said that having successfully conducted 17 general elections, over 400 state polls, and 16 Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections, the ECI has set a "golden standard" in electoral exercise.
There are 1.8 crore first-time voters and 19.74 crore voters in the age group of 20-29 years this time, he said.
Also, 88.4 lakh PwDs (persons with disabilities), 88 lakh voters above the age of 85, 48,000 transgenders, and 2.18 lakh centenarians will participate in the elections, the CEC added.
M.A. Baby new CPI-M general secretary; Prakash and Brinda Karat step down from Politburo
The 24th Party Congress Communist Party of India (Marxist) concluded in Madurai on Sunday, marking a significant leadership transition. Senior party leader and Politburo member M.A. Baby has been appointed as the new General Secretary of the CPI-M,
Ram Navami celebrations peaceful in Bengal, TMC leaders also participate in processions
Ram Navami celebrations had been peaceful so far in West Bengal, with Trinamool Congress leaders in their own initiatives having organised processions on the auspicious occasion besides the ones already announced by the state BJP leaders as well as organisations like Anjani Putra Sena and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), among others.
Tripura will move forward through peaceful co-existence of all communities: CM Saha
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Sunday said that the state will move forward through the peaceful co-existence of people from both tribal, non-tribal and all other communities.
Tripura LoP Jitendra Choudhury replaces ex-CM Manik Sarkar as CPI-M politburo member
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and CPI-M Tripura State Secretary Jitendra Choudhury on Sunday replaced former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar in the party's politburo, becoming the third communist leader from the state to have become a member of the party's highest policy-making body.
Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning side gave birth to T20 cricket, says PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that he believes Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning side with their aggressive and unique style of batting gave birth to T20 cricket.
Bengal LoP participates in Ram Mandir stone laying ceremony at Bengal's Nandigram
The Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Sunday participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony for a Ram Temple in his constituency, Nandigram in East Midnapore district.