News - India's national elections will be held from 19 April to 1 June

India on Saturday announced the start of national elections on 19 April, AFP reports. Around one billion people are eligible to vote in the election, which will be the largest democratic poll in human history, held over a six-week period. "We will bring democracy to every corner of the country," Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said at a press conference in New Delhi announcing the poll dates. - We promise to conduct the national elections in such a way that we will to remain a beacon of democracy across the world." Voting will be held in seven phases from 19 April to 1 June. Ballots from across the country will be counted simultaneously on 4 June. Many see the re-election of the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a foregone conclusion, due to both the high popularity of the prime minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party he leads.