Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghosh has characterized the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls as a “moment of truth” following the announcement of their dates.
“Why are these elections necessary? These elections are a moment of truth for us. Can we stick to one party, one leader, one language, one religion, one dress? Or do we want to preserve our federal, multi-faith and multi-cultural diverse democracy?” she said. “Remember that, vote wisely. Do we want to live in a time when our basic freedom is under threat?” she added.
Ghosh urged voters to choose wisely, highlighting the need to protect basic freedoms. The Lok Sabha elections will be conducted in seven phases starting from April 19, with the counting scheduled for June 4.
Additionally, Assembly elections will take place in Andhra Pradesh on May 13, and in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on April 19. Odisha will witness Assembly polls in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Bypolls for 26 Assembly seats will coincide with the Lok Sabha polls. Nearly 96.8 crore eligible voters will cast their votes at over 12 lakh polling stations.
The elections will involve 10.5 lakh polling stations, 1.5 crore polling officials and security personnel, and 55 lakh EVMs. The seats include 412 General category seats, 84 SC seats, and 47 ST seats. According to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, approximately 49.7 crore male voters and 47.1 crore female voters are expected to participate in the polls.