By Hugo Barcia
Bikaner, India, Apr 19 (EFE).- Millions of Indians voted in the first of its multiphase elections on Friday in a vibrant spectacle at polling stations amid a turnout dip in one of the main opposition strongholds.
More than 160 million people from around 20 states in India were eligible to vote and elect their representatives for 102 parliamentary constituencies on Friday.
According to estimates from the Election Commission of India, voter turnout slightly exceeded 60 percent by the close of polling stations. In comparison, during the previous elections in 2019, the figure had surpassed 67 percent.
The southern state of Tamil Nadu, governed by opposition leader M.K. Stalin of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), voted to elect lawmakers for its 39 of 543 Lok Sabha seats, or the lower house of parliaments.
Although this region stands as a stronghold against the Hindu nationalist Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it witnessed a turnout of less than 63 percent, nearly 10 notches below that in 2019.
The DMK is a key member of an opposition coalition named ‘INDIA,’ or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, which aims to prevent Modi from securing a third consecutive term.
India’s poll regulator reported no significant incidents on Friday, highlighting instead the jubilation of millions of voters eager to partake in what is dubbed the “festival of democracy.”
“Against the backdrop of a largely peaceful and conducive environment, the nation’s diverse electorate painted vivid pictures of democracy in action,” the election commission said in a press statement.
“From bustling city centres to remote villages, the polling stations witnessed a colourful convergence of voters spanning generations and backgrounds.”
A kaleidoscope of intense colors adorned polling centers spread across the country, as millions dressed in their finest attire for the carnival of democracy.
Shades of red, blue, and green adorned the traditional saris of women, whose participation surpassed that of men for the first time in the 2019 general elections.
Customarily, authorities recounted several noteworthy voter encounters, including a newlywed couple arriving in their wedding attire and another voter arriving on a camel in the desert state of Rajasthan.
The next phase is slated for April 26, encompassing 89 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states, followed by five additional phases on May 7, 13, 20, 25, and June 1.
Over the ensuing 44 days, over 960 million voters are summoned to the polls, rendering the electoral process the largest spectacle of democracy.
The vote count is scheduled for June 4, when the fate of the 543 Lok Sabha seats will be unveiled, determining which coalition or party will govern the nation.
These elections mark the second-longest electoral process held in India, only preceded by the elections conducted by the country following its independence from the British Empire in 1947, which spanned four months, from October 25, 1951, to February 21, 1952. EFE
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