Lok Sabha Polls on April 16? Electoral Office Issues Clarification Over Notice Surfaced on Social Media

Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer on Monday cleared the air over speculations that the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held on April 16. The chatter about the election date spread after an internal note circulated by the office of Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer having April 16 as the tentative “poll date” surfaced on social media.

The Chief Electoral Officer’s office clarified that the date was mentioned only for “reference” for officials to plan activities in accordance with the Election Planner issued by the poll panel, according to a PTI report.

“Some media queries are coming referring to a circular by @CeodelhiOffice to clarify whether April 16 is a tentative poll day for Lok Sabha elections. It is clarified that this date was mentioned only for ‘reference’ for officials to plan activities as per Election Planner of ECI,” the CEO’s office wrote in an X post.

On January 19, the CEO’s office had distributed the Election Planner issued by the ECI to all the 11 district election officers, in which various activities ahead of the election were mentioned along with the timelines and durations for each activity.

“For the ensuing General Election to the Lok Sabha 2024, the Commission has tentatively given the Poll Day as 16.04.2024 for the purpose of reference and to calculate start and end dates in the Election Planner,” the circular had read.

While the actual date has yet to be confirmed, it is most likely that the voting for a new government will take place sometime in April over several phases and continue till May.

In 2019, the dates for Lok Sabha elections were announced on March 10 and were held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. Votes were counted on May 23.

(With PTI inputs)