Overview

• Phase 1 will cover 121 constituencies and Phase 2 will cover 122, with notifications on October 10 and 13 and nomination deadlines on October 17 and 20 respectively.
• Operational changes include 100% webcasting at all 90,712 polling stations, coloured candidate photos on EVM ballot papers, mobile‑phone deposit counters outside booths, a 1,200‑voter cap per station, and mandatory handing of Form 17C to party agents.
• The Special Intensive Revision trimmed the rolls by about 68.5 lakh and added about 21.5 lakh, leaving roughly 7.42 crore electors; opposition parties have challenged the exercise and a Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, according to reports.
• Security and logistics plans feature CAPF deployment, one observer per constituency, district social‑media monitoring to counter fake news, and terrain‑specific patrols using horses in Diara areas and boats for riverine polling stations.
• Parties had urged a single phase or dates immediately after Chhath and sought strict action on hate speech and misinformation, but the commission opted for two phases and announced zero tolerance for intimidation or violence.