Lok Sabha election 2019: When do you have to vote?

What do India's voters want?

India's general election will take place in seven phases over two months, from 11 April to 19 May.

With 900 million eligible voters, it will be the largest election the world has seen.

The lower house has 543 elected seats and any party or coalition needs a minimum of 272 MPs to form a government.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faces challenges from strong regional parties and a resurgent Congress.

Mr Modi led the BJP to its greatest victory in 2014, while Rahul Gandhi was the face of Congress when it suffered its worst defeat.

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The BJP won 282 seats of the 428 it contested - it was the first time since 1984 that a party had won an absolute majority in a general election.

Analysts believe the summer elections will largely be a referendum on Mr Modi, who remains the BJP's main vote-getter.

Indian Congress party supporters shout in support of Indian National Congress party President Rahul Gandhi at a public rally in Guwahati on February 26, 2019.Getty Images

The Congress party, led by Rahul Gandhi, is hoping to make a comeback

The opposition campaign will be entirely targeted at the prime minister, a polarising leader who is loved and loathed in equal measure.

When does each state go to the polls?

The dates on which voting will be held are 11 April, 18 April, 23 April, 29 April, 6 May, 12 May and 19 May.

Polling in some states, such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, will happen in one day. But other states, such as Uttar Pradesh, will hold polls in several phases.

Votes will be counted on 23 May.

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Phase 1 - 11 April

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar islands, Lakshwadeep

Phase 2 - 18 April

Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashta, Manipur, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Pondicherry

Phase 3 - 23 April

Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu

A Border Police officer stands guard as Indian women wait in line to vote at a polling station on 12 May 2014 in Varanasi, India.Getty Images

More Indian women are likely to vote than men in this election.

Phase 4 - 29 April

Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal

Phase 5 - 6 May

Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal

Phase 6 - 12 May

Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi

Phase 7 - 19 May

Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh

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Read more about the Indian election here.

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