Lok Sabha elections dates are likely to be announced after March 13

New Delhi: The Election Commission is set to announce the Lok Sabha election dates after March 13, as they are currently touring various states to assess general election preparations.The officials from the Central Election Commission are now currently visiting Tamil Nadu and will thereafter travel to Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Prior to this, the Commission team had also visited Bihar. The visit of all states in the country will be finished by March 13. In such a case, the Lok Sabha election dates might be revealed anytime after March 13.

The Commission has been holding regular meetings with the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all the states over the past few months to assess the preparedness.Officials said the CEO has listed out the problem areas, movement of EVMs, their requirement of security forces, tight surveillance at the borders.

Over the last three months, the Commission has had frequent meetings with the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of each state to review preparation. According to officials, the CEO has identified problem areas, including the mobility of EVMs, the need for security forces, and stringent border surveillance. Notably, the Election Commission intends to deploy artificial intelligence to ensure the smooth conduct of elections this year, according to authorities.

Furthermore, the commission would also prioritize fact-checking, combating disinformation, and ensuring tight security in certain areas. According to Election Commission data, 96.88 crore individuals are eligible to vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, representing the world's highest voter participation.

Also, according to the polling board, 1.85 crore persons aged 18 to 19 are registered to vote. Lok Sabha elections can be held in six to seven stages. Elections can be held in two or more stages in large states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Naxal-affected and disturbed areas.

The entire election process is expected to take around one and a half months. Following that, votes for all Lok Sabha seats around the country will be tallied on the same day. In such cases, the election date can be declared at any moment after the Commission team's visit to the states concludes on March 13.