General Elections of 2014 : Schedule and Salient Features

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the election schedule for General Elections of 2014 on 5 March 2014. Following are the salient features of this schedule:  

1. General Elections 2014 to be held for constituting 16th Lok Sabha

1. The term of 15th Lok Sabha expires on 31 May 2014
2. 16th Lok Sabha to be constituted by 31 May 2014
3. The complete exercise of General Elections 2014 to be completed in 9 stages
4. Elections to be held from 7 April 2014 to 12 May 2014
5. Election Dates : April 7, 9, 10, 12, 17, 24, 30, May 7 and 12
6. Result to be announced on : 16 May 2014
7. Model Code of Conduct imposed immediately from 5 March 2014
8. Assembly Elections in three states (Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim) to be held simultaneously with General Elections
9. Approximately 81.4 crore voters eligible to take part in these elections
10. Approximately 9.3 lakh polling stations to be established
11. All electronic voting machines to have 'none of the above'  (NOTA) facility
12. Elections in both Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to be held in 6 stages.
13. Elections in 21 states and union territories to be finished in single stage.
14. Election for maximum 122 Parliamentary Constituencies to be conducted in the 5th Stage (on 17 April 2014), making it the largest stage. On the other hand elections for only 5 Parliamentary Constituencies to be conducted in the 4th Stage (on 12 April 2014) thus making it the smallest stage.
15. 95.64% voters have been provided the Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) while photographs of 98.64% voters have already been printed in the electoral rolls.
16. For the first time Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) to be used in Lok Sabha Elections in India. However, VVPAT would be used in only some selected constituencies.