Today, Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar shared the details of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. This is a huge event where people across the country vote for their leaders. It will happen in seven phases, starting from April 19 and ending on June 1. We’ll find out the results on June 4.
Elections in Four States at Once
Apart from choosing members for the Lok Sabha, some states will also pick leaders for their state assemblies. This will happen at the same time in Sikkim, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. However, Jammu and Kashmir won’t have elections this time because it’s under President’s Rule.
Additional Voting in Some Areas
There will also be voting to fill up empty seats in assemblies across 26 places, including Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu.
Important Messages About Social Media
Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar talked about being careful on social media. He wants everyone to double-check information before sharing it. He said spreading fake news could lead to serious consequences. Also, he said no one should say mean things or talk about personal stuff during the elections. The media needs to make it clear when they’re showing ads for politicians and when they’re sharing news.
Keeping an Eye on Things
The Election Commission will have 2,100 people watching out for fake news and mean speeches. They’ll take strict action against anyone who breaks the rules.
Helping Some Voters
If you’re over 85 years old or have a disability (with 40% disability or more), you can vote from home. About 82 lakh people fall into the over-85 age group.
New Appointments
After one of the Election Commissioners resigned, only Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar was left. Prime Minister Narendra Modi picked two retired government officers, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar, to join as Election Commissioners. They took their oaths soon after.