The schedule of the Lok Sabha elections across the country, to be held in seven rounds from April 11, has been announced by the Election Commission today.

The voting for the national election will be spread over seven phases across the country on April 11, April 19, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12, and May 19, the results of which will be announced on May 23. As the term of the current Lok Sabha ends on June 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek to return to power for another term in the office, while the opposing parties will put out a strong fight against the ruling BJP. Single-phase polling for Tamilnadu on April 18.

“The festival of democracy, elections are here. I urge my fellow Indians to enrich the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with their active participation. I hope this election witnesses a historic turnout. I particularly call upon first time voters to vote in record numbers,” the PM tweeted as soon as the announcement was made.

Modi's BJP won 282 of the 543 seats in the 2014 elections, to become the first party to win a majority of its own after nearly 30 years. Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal, Odisha and Sikkim will be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls.