LOC16:39
13:39 GMT
NEW DELHI, April 19 (KUNA) -- The first phase of India's general elections to elect 543 members of Indian parliament took place Friday amid fears that right-wing Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get a third term that may lead to constitutional amendments and further slide into Hindutva politics.
The Election Commission of India said in a statement that first phase polling of the largest democrasy in the world took place as 102 Parliamentary Constituencies and 92 Assembly Constituencies in the North-Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim are holding polls today.
It added that substantial voter turnout was reported in many states and Union Territories.
In the first phase of polls, several constituencies in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand West Bengal and Bihar are voting today.
In the parliament election right wing party of Modi Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to win again for the third consecutive time as per several polls. The BJP is facing a secular opposition from INDIA alliance composed of around 20 parties including the Indian National Congress which ruled the country for several decades after independence.
In this election, around 970 million eligible voters are going to elect their MPs for the next five years in seven phases that will conclude on June first and the results would be announced on June 4.
The Modi government is facing challenges due to its divisive policies that include building a temple for the Hindu god of Ram at the place of a historic mosque in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. Modi's party is also facing criticism for using state machinery including the investigation agencies and enforcement to suppress opposition leaders. (end)
atk.mt