India to hold seven-phase general election Results expected on June 4

India will hold a seven-phase general election starting on April 19, with the results to be declared on June 4.

The Election Commission of India announced the schedule of the six-week marathon vote during a news conference in New Delhi on Saturday, Al Jazeera reports.

Nearly 970 million voters – more than the entire population of the United States, the European Union and Russia combined – are eligible to cast their ballot, according to the poll panel’s data, making the election the largest democratic exercise in the world.

“We will take democracy to every corner of the country,” Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said as he announced the voting dates. “It is our promise to deliver a national election in a manner that we … remain a beacon for democracy around the world.”

Modi and his BJP have been in campaign mode for months before the dates for the vote were announced.

The prime minister has been flying around the country almost every day, inaugurating new projects, making announcements, taking part in religious events and addressing public and private meetings.

The first phase of the parliamentary election will be held on April 19, second on April 26, third on May 7, the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth on May 20, the sixth on May 25 and the seventh phase on June 1.

 In four states – Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim – the parliamentary and legislative assembly elections will be held simultaneously, with their results to be also declared on June 4.

Bypolls for 26 assembly constituencies across the country will be also be held during the six-week vote.

There will be more than a million polling stations in operation staffed by 15 million poll workers, according to the election commission.