The first phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections 2024, is scheduled to begin on Friday, April 19. The general elections will be held in seven phases, with the first phase covering 102 parliamentary constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories in India on Friday.

The second phase is scheduled for April 26, followed by the third on May 7, the fourth on May 13, the fifth on May 20, the sixth on May 25, and the seventh on June 1. The results are slated to be declared on June 4.

List of states going to polls in Phase 1, April 19

In all, 102 of 534 Lok Sabha seats are going to polls in the first phase.

Arunachal Pradesh (2 Lok Sabha seats), Assam (5), Bihar (4), Chhattisgarh (1), Madhya Pradesh (6), Maharashtra (5), Manipur (2), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Rajasthan (12), Sikkim (1), Tamil Nadu (39), Tripura (1), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (5), West Bengal (3), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Jammu and Kashmir (1), Lakshadweep (1), Puducherry (1).

Among these, the states where polls will be fully completed in the first phase itself are Tamil Nadu (39 seats), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Manipur (2), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Sikkim (1). Among Union Territories, polling will be completed in Lakshadweep, Puducherry, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

In the first phase, Uttar Pradesh, with the largest number of Lok Sabha seats (80), will conduct polls in Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit constituencies. 

In Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, five constituencies will go to polls: Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur, and Chandrapur. The entire state of Tamil Nadu consisting 39 seats, will go to polls on April 19. 

Criminal background, education and gender of candidates in Phase 1

Overall, there are 1,625 candidates contesting in the first phase (21 states) of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Association for Democratic Reforms and the National Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 1,618 candidates. As per their findings, 251 or 16% out of 1,618 candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves and 14 candidates have declared cases where they have been convicted. 

Among the major parties, 4 out of 4 or 100% of the candidates of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have declared criminal cases against themselves.

This is followed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with 13 out of 22 candidates,  3 out of 7 candidates from Samajwadi Party (SP), 2 out of 5 candidates from All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), 28 out of 77 candidates from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 13 out of 36 candidates from All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), 19 out of 56 candidates from Indian National Congress (INC) and 11 out of 86 candidates from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have declared criminal cases against themselves.

Further, 42 or (41%) out of 102 constituencies have been declared as red alert constituencies in the first phase. "Red alert constituencies are those constituencies where 3 or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves," according to ADR. 

8% or 135 female candidates are contesting in the Phase I elections.

Key candidates (Phase 1)

Nitin Gadkari - The Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is aiming for a third term from the Nagpur seat in Maharashtra. His main rival is Congress Nagpur unit chief Vikas Thakre. 

Nakul Nath - the son of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and INC leader, is vying for reelection from Chhindwara. In 2019, Nath had won Chhindwara by a margin of 37,536 votes. Vivek Sahu of the BJP is set to emerge as the primary challenger candidate against Nath in Chhindwara. 

A Raja: In Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris, there's a close contest between A Raja, the current DMK MP, and L Murugan of the BJP, who serves as the Union Minister of State for Fisheries. Murugan is making his debut in this constituency.

Jitendra Singh: Jitendra Singh, a two-time parliamentarian and member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, is contesting against Lal Singh, who recently joined the Congress party. Jitendra Singh aims for a third consecutive term in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, having won in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. Lal Singh had won during 2004 and 2009 elections.

Out of the total candidates contesting in the Phase 1 elections:

- 639 or 39% have educational qualifications between 5th and 12th standard.

- 836 or 52% have a graduate or higher educational qualification.

- 77 candidates hold diplomas.

- 36 candidates are literate.

- 26 candidates are illiterate.

-The educational qualifications of 4 candidates have not been provided.