Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Nomination process for first phase of poll begins

The nomination process for the first phase of upcoming 18th Lok Sabha polls in 102 parliamentary constituencies spread across 21 states and Union territories began on Wednesday, according to notification issued by the Election Commission.

The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections will be held on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of the votes will be done on June 4.

According to the notification issued by the Election Commission on behalf of the President, the last date for filing nomination papers is March 27.

However, due to a festival, March 28 is the last date for filing nominations for the Lok Sabha seats in Bihar going to polls in the first phase. 

The states going for polls in the first phase are, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry and Bihar.

39 seats in Tamil Nadu, 12 in Rajasthan, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, and 6 in Madhya Pradesh will go to polls in the first phase. Along with them, five seats in Uttarakhand, Assam and Maharashtra, four seats in Bihar, three in West Bengal, and two in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya will conduct polls in the first phase.

One seat in Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry will also go to polls on April 19.

Voting in four out of 40 seats in Bihar will be held in the first phase. Nomination papers will be scrutinized on March 28. For Bihar, it would be done on March 30. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 20 while for Bihar, it is April 2.