Overview

• The Model Code of Conduct is now in force, with Phase 1 notification on October 10 and Phase 2 on October 13; nominations close on October 17 and 20, scrutiny on October 18 and 21, withdrawals on October 20 and 23.
• The Special Intensive Revision concluded with about 68.5–69 lakh deletions and 21.5 lakh additions, yielding roughly 7.42–7.43 crore electors, and corrections remain open up to 10 days before nominations.
• Operational measures include a cap of 1,200 voters per booth across 90,712 polling stations, 100% webcasting, BLO identity cards, mobile phone deposit counters, and upgraded EVM ballot papers with colour photos and larger numerals.
• Security and monitoring plans feature CAPF deployments, a dedicated observer for each of the 243 constituencies, district social media teams to counter misinformation, horse patrols in diara areas and boat patrols for riverine stations, and a voter helpline.
• Parties had urged single-phase polling after Chhath and fewer voters per booth, but the Commission retained two phases and the 1,200-voter cap as the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan gear up alongside Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj.