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India is voting in the biggest day of the general election pitting the ruling Congress party against the main opposition BJP.
Polling takes place in 121 seats in 12 states, including the key states of Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
The nine-phase vote began on April 7 and will conclude on May 12. Votes will be counted on May 16.
More than 814 million Indians are eligible to vote in the polls.
Polling has been already completed in 111 seats, and voter turnout in most states has been higher than in 2009.
April 17 is one of the most critical days of voting spread across 12 states, from Indian-administered Kashmir in the north, to the information-technology hub of Bangalore in the south, Rajasthan in the west and the tea-growing Himalayan town of Darjeeling in the east.
With all of its 28 seats going to polls on Thursday, the southern state of Karnataka is a key battleground.
Bangalore South is one of the keenly contested seats in the state with Congress party’s Nandan Nilekani, BJP’s Ananth Kumar and the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Nina Nayak as candidates.
Nandan Nilekani is the billionaire co-founder and former CEO of Infosys, one of India’s largest IT services firms, while Ananth Kumar is a former federal minister.
The anti-corruption Aam Aadmi (Common Man’s) Party, which secured a spectacular result in local polls in Delhi last year, offers a challenge to the main parties.
Several smaller regional parties are also in the fray and if no single party wins a clear majority, they could play a crucial role in the formation of a government.
Thousands of police and paramilitary security personnel have been deployed across the country to ensure smooth polling.
India is voting in the biggest day of the general election pitting the ruling Congress party against the main opposition BJP
The marathon vote is being staggered over five weeks for security and logistical reasons.
The main contest in the elections is between the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, and the BJP, led by the charismatic and controversial Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi.
Narendra Modi, who is ahead in all the pre-election opinion polls, is the leader of Gujarat state, which witnessed one of India’s worst anti-Muslim riots in 2002.
The BJP has promised to improve the economy and infrastructure and curb corruption if it wins in the general elections.
The Congress party has promised “inclusive growth” if it returns to power, with a raft of welfare schemes, including a right to healthcare for all and pensions for the elderly and disabled.
Any party or a coalition needs a minimum of 272 lawmakers to form a government.
Dates when different states and Union Territories vote:
Andaman and Nicobar islands: April 10
Andhra Pradesh: April 30 and May 7
Arunachal Pradesh: April 9
Assam: April 7, 12 and 24
Bihar: April 10, 17, 24, 30, May 7 and 12
Chandigarh: April 10
Chhattisgarh: April 10, 17, 24
Dadra and Nagar Haveli: April 30
Daman and Diu: April 30
Delhi: April 10
Goa: April 17
Gujarat: April 30
Haryana: April 10
Himachal Pradesh: May 7
Jammu and Kashmir: April 10, 17, 24, 30 and May 7
Jharkhand: April 10, 17, 24
Karnataka: April 17
Kerala: April 10
Lakshadeep: April 10
Madhya Pradesh: April 10, 17, 24
Maharashtra: April 10, 17, 24
Manipur: April 9, 17
Meghalaya: April 9
Mizoram: April 9
Nagaland: April 9
Odisha: April 10, 17
Puducherry: April 24
Punjab: April 30
Rajasthan: April 17 and 24
Sikkim: April 12
Tamil Nadu: April 24
Tripura: April 7, 12
Uttarakhand: May 7
Uttar Pradesh: April 10, 17, 24, 30, May 7 and 12
West Bengal: April 17, 24, 30, May 7 and 12
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Indians are voting on the first big day of the general election pitting the ruling Congress party against the main opposition BJP.
Polling is being held in 91 seats in 14 states, including in the capital Delhi and the key states of Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra and Orissa.
The nine-phase vote began on Monday, April 7, and will conclude on May 12. Votes will be counted on May 16.
More than 814 million Indians are eligible to vote in the polls.
Two soldiers were killed and three others injured in a landmine explosion blamed on Maoist rebels in Jamui, a rebel stronghold in the eastern state of Bihar, police said.
The blast occurred before polling began, but voting has remained unaffected in the area.
Voters have turned out enthusiastically to cast their ballots in the politically crucial northern state of Uttar Pradesh which sends the maximum number of lawmakers to the parliament.
Some 16 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots in 10 constituencies in the state that go the polls today.
They include the restive Muzaffarnagar constituency, where at least 65 people were killed and 51,000 people – mostly Muslims – were displaced after Hindu-Muslim clashes in September.
Voters at a school in the Sarvapriya Vihar district began queuing as polling opened at 07:00.
Soon, several dozen people had queued up to cast their votes and the lines were getting longer by the minute.
Officials checked their names on the list and put the indelible ink on their forefingers.
Indians are voting on the first big day of the general election pitting the ruling Congress party against the main opposition BJP
The anti-corruption Aam Aadmi (Common Man’s) Party, which secured a spectacular result in local polls in Delhi last year, offers a challenge to the main parties.
Several smaller regional parties are also in the fray and if no single party wins a clear majority, they could play a crucial role in the formation of a government.
The marathon vote is being staggered over five weeks for security and logistical reasons.
Thousands of police and paramilitary security personnel have been deployed to ensure polling passes off peacefully.
On the first day of voting on April 7, polling took place in six constituencies in two states in the north-east – five in Assam and one in Tripura.
In the second phase on Wednesday, voting was held in six seats across four states.
The Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) has 543 elected seats and any party or a coalition needs a minimum of 272 lawmakers to form a government.
The main contest in the elections is between the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, the latest member of India’s influential Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, and the BJP, led by the charismatic and controversial Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi.
Narendra Modi, who is ahead in all the pre-election opinion polls, is the leader of Gujarat state, which witnessed one of India’s worst anti-Muslim riots in 2002.
The BJP has promised to improve the economy and infrastructure and curb corruption if it wins in the general elections.
The party launched its manifesto hours after polling began for the first phase.
The Congress party has promised “inclusive growth” if it returns to power.
In its election manifesto, the party promised a raft of welfare schemes, including a right to healthcare for all and pensions for the elderly and disabled.
India polling days:
April 7 – 2 states, 6 constituencies
April 9 – 5 states, 7 constituencies
April 10 – 14 states, 91 constituencies
April 12 – 4 states, 7 constituencies
April 17 – 12 states, 121 constituencies
April 24 – 12 states, 117 constituencies
April 30 – 9 states, 89 constituencies
May 7 – 7 states, 64 constituencies
May 12 – 3 states, 41 constituencies
Counting of votes – May 16
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India has begun voting in the world’s biggest election, with the nine-phase ballot beginning on Monday and concluding on May 12.
India ruling Congress party pitted against the Hindu nationalist BJP opposition.
Votes will be counted on 16 May.
More than 800 million Indians are eligible to vote in a poll dominated by corruption and high inflation.
A new anti-corruption party, the AAP, is also contesting the elections after a spectacular result in local polls.
The AAP (Aam Aadmi, or Common Man’s Party) made a strong showing at the state assembly polls in the capital, Delhi, and is standing for all the seats in the parliament.
Several smaller regional parties are also in the fray and if no single party wins a clear majority, they could play a crucial role in government formation.
The Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) has 543 elected seats and any party or a coalition needs a minimum of 272 lawmakers to form a government.
PM Manmohan Singh has already said he is stepping down and the Congress is being led by Rahul Gandhi, the latest member of India’s influential Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.
India has begun voting in the world’s biggest election (photo AP)
The BJP is being led by the charismatic and controversial Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi.
Narendra Modi, who is ahead in all the pre-election surveys, is the leader of Gujarat state, which witnessed one of India’s worst anti-Muslim riots in 2002.
Some 814 million voters – 100 million more than at the last elections in 2009 – are eligible to vote at 930,000 polling stations, up from 830,000 polling stations in 2009.
Electronic voting machines will be used and will, for the first time, contain a None of the Above (Nota) button – an option for voters who do not want to cast their ballot for any of the candidates.
On the first day of voting, polling is taking place in 6 constituencies in two states in the north-east – five in Assam and one in Tripura.
The first voters have already cast their ballots in the state, with many others queuing up outside polling stations.
Assam is a Congress party stronghold but the opposition BJP is hoping to make inroads.
The Congress party has promised “inclusive growth” if it returns to power.
In its election manifesto, the party has promised a raft of welfare schemes, including a right to healthcare for all and pensions for the aged and disabled.
The BJP has yet to come out with its manifesto but in his election speeches across the country, Narendra Modi has promised economic development, jobs for the youth and a corruption-free government.
India’s polling days:
- April 7 – 2 states, 6 constituencies
- April 9 – 5 states, 7 constituencies
- April 10 – 14 states, 92 constituencies
- April 12 – 3 states, 5 constituencies
- April 17 – 13 states, 142 constituencies
- April 24 – 12 states, 117 constituencies
- April 30 – 9 states, 89 constituencies
- May 7 – 7 states, 64 constituencies
- May 12 – 3 states, 41 constituencies
- Counting of votes – May 16
Election Commission of India
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India’s Election Commission has announced the country’s general election will take place in nine phases in April and May.
Polling to elect a new Lok Sabha, or lower house, will be held from April 7 to May 12. Votes will be counted on May 16.
With some 814 million eligible voters, India’s election will be the largest the world has seen.
The ruling Congress party and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party will be battling a host of smaller parties.
Leaders of 11 regional parties have formed a Third Front against the Congress and the BJP.
A new anti-corruption Aam Aadmi (Common Man’s) Party (AAP), which made a spectacular debut in recent polls in the capital Delhi, will also contest the elections.
If no single party wins a clear majority, smaller parties could play a crucial role.
India’s lower house has 543 elected seats and any party or a coalition needs a minimum of 272 MPs to form a government.
India’s Election Commission has announced the country’s general election will take place in nine phases in April and May
Some states will hold polls in several phases. The new parliament has to be constituted by May 31.
Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath said school examination schedules, weather and crop harvesting seasons had been taken into account in deciding the polling dates.
Some 814 million voters – 100 million more than the last elections in 2009 – are eligible to vote at 930,000 polling stations, up from 830,000 polling stations in 2009.
Electronic voting machines will be used and will contain a None of the Above (NOTA) button, an option for voters who do not want to cast their ballot for any of the candidates.
Elections in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar will take place in six phases. Kashmir and West Bengal will vote in five phases each.
Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous states and one of its largest. Elections in the capital, Delhi, will be held on 10 April.
The polls are being seen as a straight contest between the governing coalition led by the Congress party and the opposition BJP which is being led by the charismatic and controversial Hindu nationalist leader, Narendra Modi.
Narendra Modi, who is ahead in all the pre-poll surveys, is the leader of Gujarat state which witnessed one of India’s worst anti-Muslim riots in 2002.
Incumbent PM Manmohan Singh is stepping down and Congress is being led by Rahul Gandhi, the latest member of India’s influential Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.
India’s polling dates:
- April 7 – 2 states, 6 constituencies
- April 9 – 5 states, 7 constituencies
- April 10 – 14 states, 92 constituencies
- April 12 – 3 states, 5 constituencies
- April 17 – 13 states, 142 constituencies
- April 24 – 12 states, 117 constituencies
- April 30 – 9 states, 89 constituencies
- May 7 – 7 states, 64 constituencies
- May 12 – 3 states, 41 constituencies
- May 16 – Counting of votes [youtube GTbLhfkDMMc 650]
