The other phases will be on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19, and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13

Elections to Odisha assembly will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1

Bypolls will also be held for 26 assembly constituencies, Kumar said at a press conference flanked by two new Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu

The counting of votes will be held on June 4

Around 97 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Saturday and urged everyone to "get inked"

Addressing a press conference, Kumar said that the poll authority is preparing to set up 10.5 lakh polling stations across the country

"We are fully prepared and I request the voters to get inked," the Chief Election Commissioner said flanked by two new Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu

Rajiv Kumar said the Commission has conducted 17 Lok Sabha elections, 16 Presidential elections and more than 400 assembly elections