Setting the stage for a two-month-long electoral battle, the Election Commission Saturday announced that the Lok Sabha elections will be kicking off on April 19 and will be held in seven phases. The results will be declared on June 4.

The general elections will be held in seven phases through the months of April and May. Four states, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will also be holding simultaneous Assembly elections.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government is hoping to clinch a rare third term, while the Opposition, loosely stringed under the INDIA bloc, are hopeful of making a dent in the NDA’s scorecard.