Monday, March 30, 2009

15th Lok Sabha election process underway

The term of the 14th Lok Sabha will expire in the normal course on 1st June, 2009. The upcoming parliamentary elections for the 15th Lok Sabha in the 543 parliamentary constituencies in five phases from 16th April to 13th May.

Counting will take place on the 16th of May, which is expected to be completed on the same day.

Most likely the new government would be in place in the first week of June because the new parliament will be constituted before the 2nd June, 2009.

Prior to the annoucement, the Election Commission of India held a meeting with the representatives of all recognized National and State parties on 3rd February, 2009. It the election planning with the Chief Secretaries, Directors General of Police and Chief Electoral Officers of all States to review the over all preparedness of the election machinery in the country.

The extents of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies in all States (except Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Manipur and Nagaland) have recently been re-determined by the Delimitation Commission set up under the Delimitation Act, 2002. By a Presidential Notification issued on 19th February, 2008, the Delimitation Orders of the Delimitation Commission have been made effective from the same date in all the States, NCT of Delhi and Union Territory of Puducherry (except the six States indicated above and Meghalaya and Tripura).

In respect of the States of Meghalaya and Tripura, the 2 from 20th March, 2008. Thus the present Delimitation Commission’s orders took effect General Elections to the Lok Sabha for 499 out of 543 Parliamentary Constituencies in all the States, NCT of Delhi and Union Territory of Puducherry (except Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Manipur and Nagaland) and to the State Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Sikkim will be held on the basis of the newly delimited constituencies.