Maharashtra's four-phase polls in April

Maharashtra will vote for Lok Sabha 2019 elections in four phases next month - on April 11, 18, 23 and 29, said Chief Electoral Officer Ashwani Kumar on Sunday.

Announcing the schedule for Maharashtra's 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest in India after Uttar Pradesh, he said that seven constituencies will go to the polls in first phase, 10 in the second, 14 in the third and 17 in the final round.

In the first phase (April 11), Wardha, Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimu, Chandrapur and Yavatmal-Washim voters will votes. (7 seats)

In the second phase (April 18), Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Osmanabad, Latur and Solapur will see polling. (10 seats)

The third phase (April 23) will involve Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Raigad, Pune, Baramati, Ahmednagar, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur and Hatkanangle. (14 seats)

In the fourth and final phase (April 29), voting will be held in Nandurbar, Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai-North, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South-Central and Mumbai South, Maval, Shirur and Shirdi. (17 seats)

This time the women's voter ratio vis-a-vis male voters has increased - from 889/1,000 (2014) to 911/1,000. Kumar called it "a very positive sign" for the state.

Compared to 89,479 polling stations in 2014, this year there will be 95,473.

Voting shall be conducted only on EVM-VVPAT machines, and each polling centre shall be provided with all minimum amenities as mandated by Election Commission, he said.

The vote count will be taken up simultaneously in the state on March 23 as per the schedule announced by Election Commission.

--IANS

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