World's Largest Democratic Election Continues In India

VARANASI, INDIA - MAY 12: Hindu priests perform prayers on the banks of the Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat on May 12, 2024 in Varanasi, India. Varanasi, in India's Hindu heartland, is seen as a symbolic stronghold for Narendra Modi's BJP Party. India's 2024 general election is set to be the world's largest democratic exercise, with over 969 million registered voters, more than the combined population of the EU, US, and Russia. The election process, lasting 82 days, will be held in seven phases, covering the entire country from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean, with an estimated 15 million polling staff and security personnel. The election is expected to cost $14.4 billion, making it the world's most expensive, with political parties and candidates spending lavishly to woo voters. The Election Commission of India has deployed advanced technology, including electronic voting machines and a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail, to ensure a secure and transparent voting process. (Photo by Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images)