Andhra Pradesh will vote on May 13 for Lok Sabha election 2024, result on June 4

The Election Commission of India (EC) on Saturday, March 16, announced the full schedule for Andhra Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections - the voting for which will be held on May 13. Polling for the general elections will be held in seven phases starting on April 19 and will conclude on June 1. The counting of votes will happen on June 4, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar said at a press conference flanked by two new election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.

The poll panel also announced the assembly election schedule for four states. polling for the assembly elections in four states — Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim — will happen simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls. The assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will be held on May 13. while the assembly polls in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on April 19; Counting of votes will be held June 4. Follow Live Updates on Lok Sabha election dates

Nearly 97 crore voters will be eligible to vote for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies across the country. With the announcement of dates, the moral code of conduct comes into force immediately.

On Saturday, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP announced the list of candidates for all the 175 assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Andhra Pradesh. The ruling YSRCP announced the list of candidates at the 'samadhi' (grave) of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy in the presence of party supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at Idupulupaya in Kadapa district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, March 17, and will attend an NDA election meeting in Palnadu district, BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde said on Friday. Tawde said the meeting which will be led by Modi will be held in Chilakaluripeta in Palnadu. TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan will also take part in the meeting, marking the first NDA election meeting in Andhra Pradesh in the run-up to the 2024 polls.

The three alliance partners, TDP, Janasena and BJP will be meeting after 10 years, and Modi, Naidu and Kalyan will be seen on the same election stage after a long time.

The NDA partners finalised their seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha and state polls following a marathon discussion held at Naidu's Andhra Pradesh residence in Undavalli on March 11, under which the BJP will contest six Lok Sabha and 10 assembly seats while the TDP will fight in 17 parliamentary and 144 state seats. Pawan Kalyan's Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats. Naidu has announced the names of 128 candidates for the assembly polls while 16 more are due, which could be announced any day now. The Janasena has announced seven candidates so far, with Kalyan fighting the assembly election from Pithapuram constituency. The BJP is yet to announce its list of its candidates for the polls.

Lok Sabha election 2024 schedule: Key points

• Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases beginning from April 19 and results will be announced on June 4.
• The other phases will be on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19, and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13.
• Elections to Odisha assembly will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
• Bypolls will also be held for 26 assembly constituencies.
• The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Poll panel's announcements

CEC Rajiv Kumar said strict directions have been given to district magistrates and SPs to ensure a level playing field. CAPF to be deployed adequately and assisted by Integrated control rooms in each district. Check posts & drones to ensure vigil.

Ensuring voters' trust is paramount. Violence in elections is unacceptable. Impersonators to be swiftly punished. Transparency in permissions to parties/candidates through SUVIDHA portal.

ECI has offered 27 apps and portals for all stakeholders.

On the misinformation being spread in the current era, CEC Kumar said, “We have put certain measures in place to ensure misinformation is nipped in the bud. We're proactive in debunking fake news. Originators of fake news to be dealt with severely as per extant laws.”

Rajiv Kumar mentioned a Shayari advising voters to not forward fake news and unverified information.

“Jhuth ke bazaar mein raunak to bahut hai, Goya bulbule jaisi turant hi fat jati hai..Pakad bhi loge to kya hasil hoga siwaye dhokhe ke,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)