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The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha and State Assembly Elections on Saturday. The ECI said it is fully determined to give 97 crore voters a free and fair Lok Sabha elections over seven phases.

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Rajiv Kumar, said, "A total of 97 crore voters, including 1.82 crore first-time voters, 88.4 lakh Persons with Disabilities, 42 lakh persons over the age of 85 and 48,000 transgenders, are part of the electoral rolls that have been updated with an of effort. A very solid electoral role is the foundation stone of an election. The gender ratio of women voters has increased to 948 in some states. In some states, the gender ratio has crossed 1000."

In his opening remarks, Kumar said, "It is a pre-requisite for a fair election that elections are pure. We have addressed disruptive challenges. We are committed to giving the country a truly festive democratic environment. We have personally interacted with 1800 district magistrates in the country. We have interacted with SPs and Commissioners. We are convinced that we will ensure an impartial and independent election.

The CEC said that the ECI wants environmentally sustainable elections and ensures proper waste management at polling stations. We want to reduce paperwork. We are also leveraging technology."

Taking a step towards sustainable elections, the ECI released a set of directions to election machinery and political parties:

Waste Management:

• Avoid single-use plastic completely
• Ensure separate collection bins and proper signage
• Ensure adequate disposal facilities for each type of waste
• Partner with local waste management/recycling facilities

Minimisation of Paper:

• Minimise the use of paper for voter lists and electoral materials
• Emphasise the use of eBooks and eDocuments
• Ensure double-side printing, layout optimisation
• Encourage electronic mode of communication

Focus on Reducing Carbon Footprint:

• Promote eco-friendly vehicles for transport
• Encourage carpooling and public transport
• Encourage renewable energy utilisation of campaign events
• Consolidate polling locations to cut the distance travelled by officials and voters