Lok Sabha polls: Biggest peacetime movement of men, material in world
Lok Sabha elections is a mammoth exercise that entails the biggest peacetime movement of men and material in the world through waterways, air and land across India to ensure no voter is left behind. The Election Commission, mandated to hold the gigantic democratic exercise starts preparing for the polls at least one-and-a-half years in advance by training officials, poll personnel and ramping up the supply of required EVMs and indelible ink, besides other equipment.
The elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
Nearly 97 crore registered voters across 543 constituencies will cast their ballot at 10.5 lakh polling stations.
Around 1.5 crore polling and security personnel, about 55 lakh EVMs and four lakh vehicles will be deployed for the polls, according to the poll authority.
As early as in June last year, the EC had initiated «first level checks» of EVMs and paper trail machines across the country in a phased manner.
«Mock polls» are part of the first level check (FLC) process to ensure parties are satisfied with the machines.
The EC issues a calendar for such exercises and there are standing instructions that are to be followed by state chief electoral officers.
During FLCs, electronic voting machines and paper trail machines are checked for mechanical flaws by engineers of BEL and ECIL, the two PSUs which manufacture the two equipment.
Faulty machines are returned to the manufacturers for repair or
