Voting began on Saturday for the last 57 parliamentary seats in the seventh and final phase of India’s .
Prime Minister is largely expected to be back for a third term.
The election involves 968 million people, marking the largest democratic exercise in history. Voting was staggered over six weeks from April 19.
According to a report by the Centre for Media Studies (CMS), cumulative spending in this election is projected to exceed $14.2 billion (€13.08 billion).
Compared to the last election, there has been a drop in the turnout, with the lowest phase recording only 62.2%. Analysts attribute the decline partly to the .
Exit poll data will be available after the voting closes on Saturday.
Formal ballot counting will begin on Tuesday, June 4, with results expected the same day.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) first came to power in 2014, on a plank of economic development and a crackdown on corruption. His tenure has seen India rise as a global power, but also faces criticism for rising unemployment, , and depleting press freedom.
The opposition parties have come together under the banner of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), taking a stand against the BJP.
But the coalition has been marred by infighting over ideological differences and personality clashes.
Moreover, the coalition has not declared its candidate for prime minister yet.
The opposition has also been stymied by several criminal probes by the government and a tax investigation this year that froze the bank accounts of the Congress.
is a key figure representing the against Modi.
ss/kb (AFP, Reuters, AP)
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