General election in the country is likely to be held in the middle of April. A recent letter, written by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the district electoral officers (DEOs) in the National Capital Territory (NCT) in Delhi on 19 January gives an idea in this regard.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha (LS) elections were held on and from 11 April to 19 May in 2019 and dates were announced on 10 March. The counting was held on 23 may. “I am directed to draw your kind attention to the election planner issued by the ECI in which various activities in the build-up to the election have been given along with the timelines/ duration for each activity to start and to be completed.

For the ensuing general election 2024, the Commission has tentatively given the poll day as 16 April for the purpose of reference and to calculate start and dates in the election planner,” the letter written by T Misao, assistant chief electoral officer, stated. Political analysts in the city felt that the tentative poll day for Delhi mentioned by the ECI might be an indication for holding LS polls in other states and Union Territories (UT) in the same month.

The ECI may officially announce election dates probably either by end of February or first week of March, they felt. Political parties sensing general elections in April have already started their preparations. While reacting to the letter of Mr Misao, the CEO office in Delhi in its X handle today clarified saying, “some media queries are coming referring to a circular by @CeodelhiOffice to clarify whether 16.04.2024 is tentative poll day for #LSElections2024.

It is clarified that this date was mentioned only for ‘reference’ for officials to plan activities as per Election Planner of ECI.” Sources in the Bengal BJP unit said that the central leadership of the party has already directed its state counterpart to gear up political activities as the countdown for elections begin. The youth wing of the saffron party has been instructed to organize local programmes like street corners to reach out to people in every locality.

The farmers’ wing ‘krishak morcha’ has also been directed to organize ‘jansangjog’ (public relations) by reaching the doorsteps of around one crore farmers, starting from north Bengal to south Bengal districts by the middle of February.