From this Friday, 968 million Indians are called to the polls to choose the 543 deputies of the lower house of Parliament, the Lok Sabha. The constituencies will vote in turn until June 1; 22% of voters are under 30 years old.
The results of this mega one-round ballot will be announced on June 4. For public opinion and observers, the outcome is in little doubt. The Hindu fundamentalist party (BJP) of outgoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi will win a majority. However, there are gray areas in Narendra Modi's record. His erratic management of the Covid pandemic contributed to the food aid crisis in India. He has also been accused of not doing enough to stop the spread of dengue fever in the state of Rajasthan, where he is currently serving a five-year term. He is also accused of failing to do enough to prevent the death of more than 1,000 people from contracting the deadly disease in his home state of Uttar Pradesh.