Lok Sabha elections 2019: Delhi to go to polls on May 12, 1.36 crore voters to exercise franchise

Elections to the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will be held on May 12, the sixth stage of the seven-phase poll exercise which will start on April 11, the Election Commission announced on Sunday.

The seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi – Chandni Chowk, North East Delhi, East Delhi, New Delhi, North West Delhi, West Delhi and South Delhi – were won by the BJP in the last general assembly polls.

According to the final electoral roll published on January 18 by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), there are over 1.36 crore voters in Delhi.

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Polling will be held in seven stages on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19, the EC said and added that votes would be counted on May 23.

According to the final electoral roll published on January 18 by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), there are over 1.36 crore voters in Delhi.

After the EC announcement, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Ultimately back to 'We the people' -- the real power of our democracy. Time to throw out the most dictatorial and anti-federal govt in the history of India. Time to seek answers on demonetisation, jobs, destruction of traders and destroying brotherhood amongst different communities."

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is the first major political party in Delhi to announce its candidates.

The party has fielded Atishi (East Delhi), Dilip Pandey (North East Delhi), Raghav Chadha (South Delhi), Gugan Singh (North West Delhi) and Pankaj Gupta(Chandni Chowk) for the Lok Sabha election. The candidate for West Delhi seats is likely to be declared soon.

The model code of conduct has come into immediate effect from Sunday after the EC announcement.

Announcing the schedule for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission said the 'voter verifiable paper audit trail' (VVPAT) will be used in all polling stations.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won 282 seats out of the 543 constituencies in Lok Sabha handing a crushing defeat to the United Progressive Alliance led by Congress.

In 2014, the Lok Sabha elections were held across nine phases, beginning on April 7 and ending on May 9. The counting of votes took place on May 16.