The Lok Sabha Election 2019 schedule was announced yesterday. Maharashtra will vote for Lok Sabha 2019 elections in four phases next month - on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.
Maharashtra's 48 Lok Sabha seats make it the second highest in India after Uttar Pradesh. Seven constituencies will go to the polls in the first phase, 10 in the second, 14 in the third and 17 in the final round.
April 11th will mark the first phase: Wardha, Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimu, Chandrapur and Yavatmal-Washim voters will votes. (7 seats)
April 18th will see the second phase: Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Osmanabad, Latur and Solapur will see polling. (10 seats)
April 23rd will mark the second last and third phase: Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Raigad, Pune, Baramati, Ahmednagar, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Hatkanangle. (14 seats)
April 29th will be the fourth and final phase: Nandurbar, Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai-North, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South-Central and Mumbai South, Maval, Shirur, and Shirdi. (17 seats)
This year, a new positive sign has emerged, the women's voter ratio vis-a-vis male voters has increased - from 889/1,000 (2014) to 911/1,000 compared to 89,479 polling stations in 2014, this year there will be 95,473.
Elections will be conducted only on EVM-VVPAT machines. Each polling center will be provided with all minimum amenities as mandated by Election Commission.
The vote count will be taken up simultaneously in the state on March 23 as per the schedule announced by Election Commission.