Lok Sabha Polls 2024 | World’s biggest festival of democracy begins, voting starts in 21 states of India

The world's largest election is currently underway in India. The nation with a population of over 1.4 billion people and close to 970 million voters has on Friday (Apr 19) started casting votes, with voters exercising their franchise in 102 constituencies of 21 states in the first phase.

The gigantic exercise involving almost one billion voters will be spread over seven phases across the world's most populous country in an exercise which is deemed as the world's biggest festival of democracy.

India's poll body — The Election Commission of India — touts the election as ‘Chunav ka Parv (festival of election)’and ‘Desh ka Garv (pride of country)’.

Voter turnout

As per reports, this election may see record voter turnout. Election Commission of India data showed that in the first few hours of polling till 11am, constituencies across the nation saw good voter turnout, with Tripura recording the highest turnout of 34.54 per cent.

Here's a breakup as of 11 am:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands - 21.82%
Arunachal Pradesh—20.13%
Assam—27.22%
Bihar—20.42%
Jammu and Kashmir—22.60%
Chhattisgarh—28.12%
Lakshadweep—16.33%
Madhya Pradesh—30.46%
Maharashtra—19.17%
Manipur—29.23%
Rajasthan—22.59%
Meghalaya—33.12%
Mizoram—28.78%
Nagaland–25.24%
Puducherry–28.10%
Sikkim—21.20%
Tamil Nadu—23.87%
Tripura—34.54%
Uttarakhand—24.83%
Uttar Pradesh—25.20%
West Bengal - 33.56%

Word's largest democratic elections

The six-week-long general election started Friday(April 19) and results will be announced on June 4.

The over 970 million voters, who make up more than 10 per cent of the world's population, will elect 543 members for Lok Sabah, the lower house of Parliament for a five-year term. Ballots will be cast at more than a million polling stations during the seven phases of the election, each lasting a single day, with several constituencies across multiple states voting that day.

The key contestants

Incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and his main challenger, Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress, represent the Indian Parliament's two largest factions. Also in the fray are many other important regional parties which have united under an opposition bloc called INDIA, or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, to take on BJP-led NDA and deny Modi a third straight election victory.

The alliance, which has fielded a single opposition candidate in most constituencies, has been roiled by ideological differences and personality clashes. The alliance is yet to decide on its candidate to take on Modi in the battle to become the prime minister.

(With inputs from agencies)