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In pictures: India votes in world's biggest election

Getty Images A voter's finger is marked with indelible ink after casting a ballot at a polling station during the first phase of voting for national elections in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, on Friday, April 19, 2024.Getty Images
A voter's finger is marked with indelible ink after casting a ballot in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Tens of millions of Indians have voted on the first day of a staggered general election that ends on 1 June.

Almost a billion people are eligible to cast their ballots in a seven-phase election to the 543-seat lower house of parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is seeking a third consecutive term.

Several key opposition parties, including the Congress, have formed an alliance in many states to take on BJP. Results will be announced on 4 June.

Key concerns include a jobs crisis, rising prices, a clampdown on dissent and opposition, and the politics of religion.

On Friday, more than 160 million voters in 21 states were eligible to vote for more than 1,600 candidates in 102 seats. With 39 seats, Tamil Nadu in southern India was the day's key battle ground state where Mr Modi's party is trying to make inroads.

The next round of voting will take place on 26 April.

AFP Women queue up to cast their ballot at a polling station in the first phase of voting for the India's general elections in Parbatsar in Rajasthan, on April 19, 2024. (AFP
Women at a polling station in Rajasthan - part of the more than 470 million women expected to vote
Reuters A woman gets her finger inked before casting her vote at a polling station during the first phase of the general election, in Alipurduar district of the eastern state of West Bengal, India, April 19, 2024. REUTERS/Sahiba ChawdharyReuters
A woman gets her finger inked before casting her vote in West Bengal, where ballots were cast in three seats
AFP Voters take shelter from the sun, outside a polling station to cast their ballot on a hot day during the first phase of voting for the India's general election, in Dugeli village of Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh state on April 19, 2024.AFP
On a hot day, voters take shelter from the sun outside a polling station in Chhattisgarh
Reuters Voters line up outside a polling station to vote during the first phase of the general election in Kairana, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, India, April 19, 2024. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYReuters
People queue up to vote in Uttar Pradesh, India's most politically crucial state - home to 200 million people
AFP A man (R) has his finger marked with ink after casting his vote at a polling station as voting starts during the first phase of India's general election in Chennai, capital of India's Tamil Nadu state on April 19, 2024.AFP
A man casts his vote in Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu, Friday's key battleground state
AFP A security personnel stands guard beside people in a queue waiting to cast their votes as voting starts in the first phase of India's general election at a polling station in Kalamati village, Dinhata distict of Cooch Behar in the country's West Bengal state on April 19, 2024AFP
Security personnel near a polling booth in West Bengal, which is voting in three seats
Getty Images An elderly man waits outside a polling station to cast his vote during the first phase of the Lok Sabha, or lower house, of the Indian parliamentary elections in Banihal, an area in Ramban district of Udhampur parliamentary constituency.Getty Images
A man waits outside a polling station in Jammu and Kashmir - nearly 1.5 million such stations will be used in this year's election
Getty Images Candidate's information displayed at a polling station during the first phase of voting for national elections in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, on Friday, April 19, 2024. Almost 1 billion Indians begin voting today in elections lasting more than six weeks, weighing up whether to hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi a third five-year term to continue his mix of economic and Hindu nationalist policies.Getty Images
Candidate information at a Tamil Nadu polling station. More than 2,400 parties are fielding candidates
Getty Images A sign featuring the logo for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party near a polling station during the first phase of voting for national elections in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, on Friday, April 19, 2024.Getty Images
A sign featuring the logo for the regional DMK party near a polling station in Tamil Nadu
AFP An elderly woman (L) with inked finger leaves a polling booth after casting her ballot to vote in the first phase of India's general election at a polling station in Kalamati village, Dinhata district of Cooch Behar in the country's West Bengal state on April 19, 2024. (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR / AFP) (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP via Getty Images)AFP
An elderly woman at a polling station in West Bengal
ANI Married couple - UttarakhandANI
A newly-married couple turned out to vote in Uttarakhand
AFP A voter sits on a boulder painted with voter awareness mural,while waiting outside a polling station to cast his ballot during the first phase of voting for the India's general election, in Dugeli village of Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh state on April 19, 2024AFP
A voter sits on a boulder painted with a voter awareness mural in Chhattisgarh state