India poll 2009

• The Chief Election Commission of India announced (2nd March 2009)that the five-phase polling to elect the 15th Lok Sabha will begin on April 16.


• The fifth and final round of voting will be on May 13 and counting on May 16,is expected to be completed the same day.


• In Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, elections will be held in five phases, while Bihar will vote in four phases. In Maharashtra and West Bengal, it will be in three phases.
  In Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Orissa and Punjab, polls will be held in two phases, while in the remaining 15 States and seven Union Territories, the process will be completed in one phase.


• The Commission has also decided to hold Assembly elections for Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa along with the General Elections.
  For the first time, the country, except for Assam, Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir, will use photo electoral rolls.