2024 Lok Sabha Date: Delhi’s Chief Electoral Office on Tuesday issued a clarification regarding a letter that went viral on social media suggesting April 16 as a potential date for the Lok Sabha elections.

The notification said the Election Commission of India (ECI) had “tentatively given the Poll Day as April 16, 2024… for the purpose of reference and to calculate Start and End dates in the Election Planner”.

The circular was sent by Assistant CEO T Misao. The notification was issued to all 11 District Election Officers in Delhi, and is titled “Compliance/adhering to timelines given in Election Planner of Election Commission of India”.

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The official X handle of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, posted that the date is only for “reference” for officials to plan activities.

“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,” the post clarified.

The poll panel later issued a detailed statement, saying the tentative poll date mentioned in the letter had no bearing on the actual schedule of election.

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“…the date 16.04.2024 mentioned as tentative Poll Date in the letter was only for reference purpose for the election officials to plan activities as per Election Planner of ECI and has no bearing on the actual schedule of election which shall be announced by ECI at an appropriate time,” it said.

While the actual date has yet to be confirmed, it is most likely that India will vote for a new government sometime in April this year in a phased manner over several phases and continue till May. The 2019 election was held over seven phases, starting April 11 and ending May 19, with results declared on May 23.