There’s scarcely any critical evaluation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on India’s mainstream television channels and most newspapers as the world’s most populous nation heads toward a general election.

India is set to begin the world’s largest general elections today, held in terrain sweeping from the icy Himalayas to humid jungles, with nearly a billion people eligible to choose 543 members of the lower house of parliament.

The BJP, the world’s largest political outfit with nearly 180 million members, was born out of the Jan Sangh party, an offshoot of a men-only Hindu nationalist organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). After struggling on the political margins early after it was formed in 1980, the BJP delivered its first prime minister 16 years later in an unstable government that lasted 13 days.

Nearly 1 billion Indians will be eligible to vote in the world’s biggest election starting today. Opinion polls predict an easy win for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which would give him a record-equaling third straight term.

Polling booths across India was set to open today for the first leg of world’s largest general election, with voting to be held in 102 constituencies across 21 states and union territories.

Campaigning is gathering pace in India’s general elections, the world’s largest with nearly a billion eligible voters, as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) races ahead of its opponents in cornering resources, from helicopters to online advertisements.

India, by far the world’s largest democracy in terms of electorate, is set to embark on a nearly six-week long journey to elect members to its parliament

An Indian woman who was a crew member on the MSC Aries container vessel seized by Iran on April 13 has returned to the country, India's foreign ministry said today

Polling booths across India will open tomorrow for the first leg of parliamentary elections, with voting to be held in 102 constituencies across 21 states and union territories

India's election starting on Friday is the world's largest electoral exercise with more than 18 million people voting for the first time.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday wrapped up his campaign in Tripura for the Lok Sabha polls, accusing Congress and its ally Communist Party of India (Marxist) of turning the country’s “Look East” policy into a “Loot East” strategy.

Social media platform X has blocked several posts in India containing political speech after authorities ordered their takedown ahead of a six-week general election that starts Friday

The election cycle sprawls over 44 days, long even by India's standards, as the 2019 vote lasted 39 days.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde yesterday met with Bollywood super star Salman Khan at the latter's residence in Mumbai and assured him of protection after two persons were arrested in connection with firing outside the actor's house

Indian security forces killed at least 29 Maoist rebels in a gunbattle in the central state of Chhattisgarh yesterday, police said, days before the start of elections in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term.

Two persons, including the man who allegedly opened fire outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai, have been arrested from Gujarat, Mumbai police said today

A Delhi court yesterday extended the detention of opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal in a graft case until April 23, legal news website Live Law reported, a setback to the opposition which needs him to campaign in general elections that begin this week.

A Supreme Court decision to scrap a controversial political funding system has pushed contributions to parties towards “black money”, or illegal funds, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in remarks broadcast yesterday.

Stepping up diplomatic efforts to secure safe release and return of 17 Indians on board the ship seized by Iran, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar last evening spoke to his Iranian counterpart H Amirabdollahian on the matter

The manifesto promises to implement the Uniform Civil Code, construction of more bullet trains, extension of free rations for the poor for another five years, and inclusion of those above 75 years of age to the government's medial insurance scheme