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| India election 2024: When are they, why do they matter and who can vote? | India election 2024: When are they, why do they matter and who can vote? |
| (5 days later) | |
| India's 2024 general election - which is being held over six weeks between 19 April and 1 June - is the biggest the world has ever seen. | |
| Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hoping to win a third successive term, but opposition parties say Indians face the loss of many freedoms if he stays in power. | Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hoping to win a third successive term, but opposition parties say Indians face the loss of many freedoms if he stays in power. |
| Which parties are standing against Narendra Modi's BJP? | Which parties are standing against Narendra Modi's BJP? |
| Recent opinion polls suggest Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies will win the election for the Lok Sabha - the lower chamber of India's parliament - for a third time running. | Recent opinion polls suggest Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies will win the election for the Lok Sabha - the lower chamber of India's parliament - for a third time running. |
| The Lok Sabha chooses the prime minister, who in turns chooses government ministers. | The Lok Sabha chooses the prime minister, who in turns chooses government ministers. |
| In the 2019 election the BJP won 303 seats, and the coalition of parties it is in, the National Democratic Alliance, took 352 seats overall. | In the 2019 election the BJP won 303 seats, and the coalition of parties it is in, the National Democratic Alliance, took 352 seats overall. |
| The Hindu foot soldier who became prime minister | The Hindu foot soldier who became prime minister |
| The main challenge in 2024 comes from a coalition of political parties headed by the Indian National Congress, the biggest opposition party. | The main challenge in 2024 comes from a coalition of political parties headed by the Indian National Congress, the biggest opposition party. |
| More than two dozen parties have joined it to form the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance ("India" for short). | More than two dozen parties have joined it to form the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance ("India" for short). |
| Key politicians in this group include Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, as well as siblings Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, whose father was the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. | Key politicians in this group include Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, as well as siblings Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, whose father was the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. |
| Their mother, Sonia Gandhi, is a powerful opposition leader but is not expected to campaign as hard as she did in 2019. | Their mother, Sonia Gandhi, is a powerful opposition leader but is not expected to campaign as hard as she did in 2019. |
| Delhi's governing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is part of the coalition, along with several important regional parties. | Delhi's governing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is part of the coalition, along with several important regional parties. |
| Three AAP leaders have recently been arrested, accused of corruption. The party accuses Mr Modi and the BJP of conducting a political vendetta against it, which the BJP denies. | Three AAP leaders have recently been arrested, accused of corruption. The party accuses Mr Modi and the BJP of conducting a political vendetta against it, which the BJP denies. |
| 'Electoral autocracy': The downgrading of India's democracy | 'Electoral autocracy': The downgrading of India's democracy |
| India opposition leader Kejriwal to remain in jail | India opposition leader Kejriwal to remain in jail |
| India's opposition challenge to Modi may be imploding | India's opposition challenge to Modi may be imploding |
| What are the key issues and why does the India general election matter? | What are the key issues and why does the India general election matter? |
| Mr Modi can claim India's global standing has risen thanks to its growing economy and closer relations with the US, which wants India to be its ally against China. | Mr Modi can claim India's global standing has risen thanks to its growing economy and closer relations with the US, which wants India to be its ally against China. |
| He has recently introduced generous welfare schemes, such as providing free grain to 800 million of India's poorest, and a monthly stipend of 1,250 rupees ($16; £12) to women from low-income families. | He has recently introduced generous welfare schemes, such as providing free grain to 800 million of India's poorest, and a monthly stipend of 1,250 rupees ($16; £12) to women from low-income families. |
| Rahul Gandhi is one of the leaders of the "India" coalition of parties challenging the BJP | Rahul Gandhi is one of the leaders of the "India" coalition of parties challenging the BJP |
| In its manifesto Congress argues that unemployment remains high, especially for young people. | In its manifesto Congress argues that unemployment remains high, especially for young people. |
| And it promises increased welfare payments for women, three million extra government jobs and more apprenticeships for college leavers. | And it promises increased welfare payments for women, three million extra government jobs and more apprenticeships for college leavers. |
| It also promises that it will stop India's "slide into autocracy". | It also promises that it will stop India's "slide into autocracy". |
| Minority groups say that they often face discrimination and attacks, and have been forced to live as "second-class" citizens under Mr Modi's rule - an allegation the BJP denies. | Minority groups say that they often face discrimination and attacks, and have been forced to live as "second-class" citizens under Mr Modi's rule - an allegation the BJP denies. |
| The campaign group for international civil liberties, Freedom House, says that journalists and others who question the BJP government have increasingly been harassed. It classifies India as only "partly free". | The campaign group for international civil liberties, Freedom House, says that journalists and others who question the BJP government have increasingly been harassed. It classifies India as only "partly free". |
| BBC splits news operation in India | BBC splits news operation in India |
| 'Electoral autocracy': The downgrading of India's democracy | 'Electoral autocracy': The downgrading of India's democracy |
| What are the dates of the polling days, and why does voting take so long? | What are the dates of the polling days, and why does voting take so long? |
| Voting is taking place in different parts of India on seven polling days: 19 April, 26 April, 7 May, 13 May, 20 May, 25 May and 1 June. | Voting is taking place in different parts of India on seven polling days: 19 April, 26 April, 7 May, 13 May, 20 May, 25 May and 1 June. |
| The results will be announced on 4 June. | The results will be announced on 4 June. |
| Voting is staggered to enable security staff to guard polling stations across the country. | Voting is staggered to enable security staff to guard polling stations across the country. |
| Millions of electronic voting machines will be used, which let people choose between candidates or pick "none of the above". | Millions of electronic voting machines will be used, which let people choose between candidates or pick "none of the above". |
| After people have cast their ballots, they are marked with indelible ink to prevent them voting again. | After people have cast their ballots, they are marked with indelible ink to prevent them voting again. |
| The ink stains the skin and fingernails purple when exposed to sunlight, stays on for about two weeks and is almost impossible to remove. | The ink stains the skin and fingernails purple when exposed to sunlight, stays on for about two weeks and is almost impossible to remove. |
| Who can vote in elections for the Lok Sabha? | Who can vote in elections for the Lok Sabha? |
| India is the world's most populous country, with 1.4 billion inhabitants, and 969 million of them can vote in this year's election - roughly one in eight of the global population. | India is the world's most populous country, with 1.4 billion inhabitants, and 969 million of them can vote in this year's election - roughly one in eight of the global population. |
| Voters must be Indian citizens, 18 years of age or older and be on the electoral register. They also need valid voter ID cards. | Voters must be Indian citizens, 18 years of age or older and be on the electoral register. They also need valid voter ID cards. |
| 969 million people are eligible to vote in India's 2024 general election | 969 million people are eligible to vote in India's 2024 general election |
| The 13.4 million Indian citizens who live abroad can also vote, but must register and return to India to do so. | The 13.4 million Indian citizens who live abroad can also vote, but must register and return to India to do so. |
| There are 543 elected MPs in the Lok Sabha, and an individual party or coalition needs at least 272 seats to form a majority to govern. | There are 543 elected MPs in the Lok Sabha, and an individual party or coalition needs at least 272 seats to form a majority to govern. |
| Members of the Lok Sabha are elected for a five-year term to represent a single constituency, the winner being the candidate with the most votes. | Members of the Lok Sabha are elected for a five-year term to represent a single constituency, the winner being the candidate with the most votes. |
| There are 131 seats reserved for MPs from so-called "scheduled castes" and "scheduled tribes". These are groups officially recognised as disadvantaged, and make up about a quarter of India's population. | There are 131 seats reserved for MPs from so-called "scheduled castes" and "scheduled tribes". These are groups officially recognised as disadvantaged, and make up about a quarter of India's population. |
| India has also passed a law to allocate a third of the seats to women, but this will not come into force for several years. | India has also passed a law to allocate a third of the seats to women, but this will not come into force for several years. |
| How are all the votes collected across India? | How are all the votes collected across India? |
| India is 1.3 million sq miles (3.3 million sq km) in area, and electoral rules say there must be a polling booth close to every human habitation. | India is 1.3 million sq miles (3.3 million sq km) in area, and electoral rules say there must be a polling booth close to every human habitation. |
| The 2019 elections had a polling booth in a remote forest area of the Gir National Park in Gujarat for the one man living there. | The 2019 elections had a polling booth in a remote forest area of the Gir National Park in Gujarat for the one man living there. |
| In the 2024 elections, officials will trek 24 miles (39km) to a village in Arunachal Pradesh state in north-east India, to collect the vote of a single female voter. | In the 2024 elections, officials will trek 24 miles (39km) to a village in Arunachal Pradesh state in north-east India, to collect the vote of a single female voter. |
| A quick guide to Narendra Modi | A quick guide to Narendra Modi |
| A quick guide to Rahul Gandhi | A quick guide to Rahul Gandhi |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| India Election 2024 | India Election 2024 |
| Narendra Modi | Narendra Modi |
| India | India |