INDIA, the world's largest democracy, is all set to stage its 18th general elections. The exercise, lasting 44 days starting Friday (19), will be a mammoth one involving nearly a billion voters to elect their next government. The elections, involving a massive manpower and mobilisation of resources, will continue till June 1 and the results will be announced on June 4.
While prime minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance are looking to retain power by clinching the third successive mandate, the opposition bloc in the name of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance is aiming to prevent the Hindu nationalist force from returning to power.
Here are some pictures of the mood prevailing across India as the country gears up for the biggest festival of democracy.
Read: First phase of India elections on April 19: 102 constituencies, 166 million voters
People travel in an overcrowded train to their hometowns on the eve of the first phase of voting for the country's general election, at a railway station in Chennai in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on April 18, 2024. (Photo by R.SATISH BABU/AFP via Getty Images)
Election officials along with security personnel carry electronic voting machines (EVM) and other polling materials on a boat to a polling station, at Lohore Chapori in Golaghat district of India's northeastern Assam state on April 18, 2024 on the eve of phase one of India's general election. (Photo by BIJU BORO/AFP via Getty Images)
A worker loads polling materials onto a vehicle for their distribution to polling booths, at a distribution centre in Chennai, capital of India's Tamil Nadu state on April 18, 2024 on the eve of the country's general election. (Photo by R. SATISH BABU/AFP via Getty Images)
A worker loads electronic voting machines (EVMs) onto a truck for their distribution to polling booths, at a distribution centre in Chennai, capital of India's Tamil Nadu state on April 18, 2024 on the eve of the country's general election. (Photo by R. SATISH BABU/AFP via Getty Images)
An election official makes preparations after collecting electronic voting machines (EVMs) from a polling materials distribution centre in Haridwar on April 18, 2024, on the eve of phase one of India's general election. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)
Supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) carry cut-outs of lotus, the party symbol during a roadshow of Amit Shah (not pictured), India's home minister and BJP leader during his election campaign at Sanand, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat on April 18, 2024. (Photo by SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images)
An Indian National Congress party worker arrives to attend an election rally addressed by party leader Rahul Gandhi on April 17, 2024 in Mandya in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. (Photo by Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images)
