The counting of votes will be held on June 4. The term of the current Lok Sabha ends on June 16. Voting in seven phases will be held on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar will vote in all seven phases.

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The model code of conduct comes into play immediately after the announcement of the poll schedule. The Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar  said 102 constituencies will go to polls in the first phase,89 in the second phase, 94 in the third 96, in the fourth, 49 in the fifth, 57 in the sixth and 57 in the seventh phase.

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Assembly elections in four states, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh will be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha. Elections in Arunachal and Sikkim will be held on April 19 and Andhra on May 13. Voting in a single phase will take place in 22 states, while elections in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tripura, and trouble torn Manipur will be held in two phases.

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Assembly elections in Odisha will be conducted in four phases -May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.By-polls in 26 Assembly constituencies will be held simultaneously. However, Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will not be held mainly for "security reasons", the CEC indicated.

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The lengthy poll schedule generated strong reaction from the Opposition camp with many admitting it would stretch their limited resources to the limit  as they would be unable to mobilise transport and hold rallies and campaign at the height of summer.

Hitting out,  the Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister, Mamata Banerjee said that the EC did "not bother to consider the views of the state government." TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy lashed out saying that this "shows the disregard for federalism."

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The Opposition leaders claimed that such a long schedule "will not provide a level playing field."  On not holding Assembly elections in J&K, NCP leader, Farooq Abdullah said that "on one hand the government talks about one nation-one poll and here it refrains from holding state elections in the state."

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The Modi government's move to go all out for the women electorate became clear with the CEC saying that 12 states have more women voters than men.

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The CEC, who asserted that strict action would be taken against hate speech and personal attack on candidates evaded a question on why action was  always taken against the Opposition leaders and  not against the leaders from the ruling dispensation. The CEC also remained ambiguous  on the sudden resignation of Election Commissioner, Arun Goel. However the CEC strongly rubbished apprehensions about the EVMs claiming that they were "100% safe."