Announcing the Lok Sabha election schedule here on Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) provided details on the country's voter list, polling booths, the number of EVMs to be used, and the security protocols to be implemented for the peaceful conduct of the polls, among other details.
Rajiv Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), and newly-appointed Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu disclosed the details at a press conference here.
Kumar said there are 96.8 crore registered voters in the country, including 49.7 crore male voters, and 47.1 crore female voters.
Talking about the magnitude of the Lok Sabha polls, the CEC said: “The total number of voters (in India) is more than the combined voters of many continents.”
Over 10.5 lakh polling stations have been set up with 1.5 crore polling officials and security staff on poll duty. More than 55 lakh EVMs and 4 lakh vehicles will be deployed for the elections, the CEC informed.
Kumar also said that having successfully conducted 17 general elections, over 400 state polls, and 16 Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections, the ECI has set a "golden standard" in electoral exercise.
There are 1.8 crore first-time voters and 19.74 crore voters in the age group of 20-29 years this time, he said.
Also, 88.4 lakh PwDs (persons with disabilities), 88 lakh voters above the age of 85, 48,000 transgenders, and 2.18 lakh centenarians will participate in the elections, the CEC added.
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