Essential Information You Should Be Aware Of

India is gearing up for the world’s largest election, with nearly 1 billion eligible voters set to cast their ballots starting this month. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is in the lead as the country prepares to elect members to the 543 contested seats in the lower house of parliament, known as the Lok Sabha.

The elections will be conducted in seven phases to ensure security at polling booths across the vast nation. Voters will use electronic voting machines to make their choices, with votes set to be counted on June 4 after polling takes place on various dates in April and May.

With a total of 968 million registered voters, including 497 million men and 471 million women, this election is expected to see a higher turnout of women voters compared to men for the second time in a row.

The main candidates in the race include Prime Minister Modi, his deputy Amit Shah, and the main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress party. Modi is seeking a third consecutive term, aiming to lead India to become a developed economy by 2047.

The BJP draws support mainly from the Hindu population, while the opposition “INDIA” alliance is focused on preserving democratic and secular values, uplifting marginalized communities, and creating job opportunities for the youth.

As the election unfolds, all eyes are on India to see which direction the country will take under the leadership of either Modi or his challengers.