How India votes

Nearly a billion people will cast their votes for a new Parliament between April 19 and June I in what will be the nation's largest-ever election, spanning seven phases.

- Nirmala Ganapathy and Debarshi Dasgupta

India, the world's most populous country, is going to the polls in a marathon seven-phase election taking place between April 19 and June 1.

With nearly 969 million registered voters, this will be the largest-ever election in India's history, surpassing the 2019 General Election, in which 67.4 per cent of 910 million registered voters turned out to vote.

The elections are spread out over 44 days to facilitate the deployment of security forces, who must prevent polling-related violence or rigging. The results will be out on June 4.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Voting will take place for 543 elected seats in the Lower House of Parliament, the Lok Sabha.

In India's parliamentary system, voters in each constituency will choose from a list of multiple candidates representing different national and regional parties.

There are many independents who also contest without any party affiliation.

The candidate securing the most number of votes is declared the winner.

Members of the Lower House are elected for a five-year term. Any party or coalition securing a simple majority of 272 seats or more can stake a claim to form the government.

The prime minister is then selected by the party or coalition that emerges victorious.

In 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 303 seats, paving the way for a second consecutive term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

WHO CAN VOTE IN ELECTIONS FOR THE LOK SABHA?

Any Indian citizen above the age of 18 and registered in the country's electoral records with a valid voter card can vote in the election.

The government also allows postal ballots for those working in essential services such as healthcare workers, journalists covering the elections, and bureaucrats who are on polling duty.

In 2024, for the first time, the postal ballot facility has been extended to those aged 85 and above.