Election Commission Fully Prepared for Phase-4 Polling on May 13, 2024

Today marks the commencement of Phase-4 polling in the General Elections 2024, with the Election Commission of India (ECI) ensuring all necessary arrangements are in place. Here are the highlights of Phase4:

Polling Details:

• Spread across 10 States/UTs, Phase-4 encompasses polling for 96 Lok Sabha seats, engaging 17.7 crore electors across 1.92 lakh polling stations.
• Additionally, all 175 Legislative Assembly seats of Andhra Pradesh and 28 seats of Odisha are set for polling simultaneously.

Weather Forecast and Polling Time Extension:

• No heatwave forecast on the polling day, with normal to below-normal temperatures predicted.
• Polling time has been extended in certain assembly segments of Telangana to encourage greater voter participation.

Smooth Conduct of Previous Phases:

• Till Phase 3, polling concluded smoothly in 283 Parliamentary Constituencies across 20 States/UTs.
• Counting of votes is scheduled for June 4th.

Key Facts of Phase-4:

• Polling for 96 Parliamentary Constituencies (General-64; ST-12; SC-20) in 10 States/UTs begins at 7 AM and ends at 6 PM.
• Elections for all 175 seats of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and 28 seats of Odisha Legislative Assembly will also take place simultaneously.
• Over 19 lakh polling officials are ready to assist the 17.7 crore voters.
• Special arrangements, including the option for home voting, have been made for elderly and persons with disabilities.

Voter Facilitation Measures:

• Assured minimum facilities such as water, shelter, and electricity are available at all polling stations.
• Voter information slips have been distributed to all registered voters for ease of access to polling station details.
• Alternative identity verification documents, besides the Voter ID card, are authorized for voting.

Surveillance and Vigilance:

• Flying squads, static surveillance teams, and video surveillance teams are deployed to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
• Strict vigilance is maintained at inter-state and international border check posts to prevent illicit activities.