India is preparing for the largest election in the world in which 968 million voters are authorized to vote for six weeks. The electoral process, divided into seven phases and beginning on April 19, will determine the next prime minister and the 543 members of the Lower House of Parliament for a period of five years. This year's election cycle spans 44 days and covers a total of 102 electoral districts across the country. A series of Bollywood releases stars in political campaigns. We explain what this gigantic electoral process will be like.
India will begin its general elections on April 19, to which Almost 1,000 million voters are called (12% of the world population), who will vote for six weeks.
The general elections will be held in seven phases, starting next Friday, and the results are expected on June 4.
in the elections the next prime minister and the 543 members of the Lower House of Parliament will be elected for a period of five years.
Below, the keys to the largest election in the world.
A vote that lasts six weeks
India's election cycle this year spans 44 days, marking an exceptionally long duration even by the country's standards, surpassing the 39 days of the 2019 election.
This will be the second longest vote in Indian history, after the first cycle after independence in 1947, which lasted for four months. The upcoming electoral process is divided into seven phases, covering a total of 102 electoral districts throughout the country. Voting will end on June 1 and the results will be known on the 4th of that month.
India, the most populous country in the world
The long general election period in India is mainly due to the large size of the country and its huge electorate, which this year will have 968.6 million voters, more than double the population of the European Union. Meanwhile, the figure has increased 8% since the 2019 elections.
India has an estimated population of more than 1.4 billion and surpassed China last year as the world's most populous country.
The current prime minister will seek re-election
Narendra Modi, current prime minister and representative of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, will seek re-election for a third term, after having assumed office in 2014 and renewing it in 2019. Polls suggest that Modi could be re-elected, taking advantage of the discrepancies within the main opposition alliance, led by the Indian National Congress Party.
Modi has received significant corporate donations and enjoys a high level of popularity, with a favorability rating of 80%. However, his critics accuse him of promoting nationalist policies that favor Hinduism to the detriment of other religions, which could represent a setback for Indian democracy.
In the opposite scenario is the Indian National Alliance for Inclusive Development, led by Rahul Gandhi, who, despite being the son, grandson and great-grandson of former Indian prime ministers, has suffered two defeats to Modi.
Gandhi seeks to challenge Modi's leadership as leader of the opposition. In his campaign, she has organized walks around the country to interact with voters, although she received criticism and media coverage of his activities was limited.
The electoral process will be carried out in phases, allowing the Government to deploy security measures to prevent violent acts and facilitate the logistics of transporting electoral officials and voting machines in dispersed communities.
Modi has intensified his campaign, traveling across the country to inaugurate projects, make speeches and interact with voters, gaining further support after the inauguration of a Hindu temple in Ayodhya in January, seen as the unofficial start of his election campaign.
The operation for the elections
For these elections There are 1,048 million voting centers and some 300,000 federal police forces available, together with the local police, to maintain order, since India's electoral history has been marked by incidents of violence and vote manipulation, although currently these cases are less frequent.
Agents located throughout the country are tasked with monitoring the transportation of voting machines to the voting centers and ensuring that they remain intact until the day of counting.
The massive presence of federal security personnel during elections plays a critical role in protecting Indian democracy by ensuring that citizens can exercise their right to vote safely and without fear of retaliation or manipulation. Meanwhile, the ballot boxes with the votes will be transported mostly by train.
The Election Commission of India (EC) even launched a 24-hour surveillance plan to prevent possible clashes between elephants and humans in areas where conflict is rampant, during the election campaign, which will start in five days.
The EC office of the state of Karnataka (southwest India) assured EFE:
Areas of possible elephant movement have been mapped and checkpoints in these areas will be manned 24 hours a day by members of the Forest Department.
Cinema and comics as a political tool
Political parties, both opposition and government, turned to comics to attack their rivals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his opponent Rahul Gandhi are the main protagonists of these satires.
For example, the Congress Party has released an animated music video that portrays Modi as a villain who imprisons opponents and encourages corruption, while Rahul Gandhi emerges as a leader willing to respect the will of the people.
However, these representations have not been without controversy, generating immediate responses from Modi's most fervent followers, who criticize the Gandhis for their supposed “uncontrolled dynasty.”
On the other hand, Modi's supporters have also taken the opportunity to attack Gandhi, accusing him of having crossed the line of decency after being involved in a defamation case for comments against the prime minister and refusing to apologize to the Supreme Court. in July 2023.
The digital strategy has become a prominent element in this electoral contest, to which cinema has also been added, with Bollywood films that promote Modi's politics.
Recently, the biopic on the early 20th century Hindu nationalist ideologue, called 'Swatantra Veer Savarkar' or 'Independent Warrior Savarkar', was released in theatres, coinciding with a series of Bollywood releases based on polarizing themes , which promote the political agenda of Modi and his government or criticize his detractors.
Analysts warn that the use of popular cinema as a campaign tool to promote Hindu nationalism feeds a divisive narrative that risks exacerbating already widespread political and religious divisions in the country, according to an AP report.
With Reuters, EFE and AP
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