Lok Sabha polls 2024: Google doodle celebrates start of festival of democracy

India is the world's largest democracy, in terms of population, followed by countries like the USA, Indonesia, and Brazil.

Voting for 102 seats began on Friday in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Google doodle of the day celebrates this festival of democracy.

The second 'o' in Google has been replaced by a hand with the index finger out. It is marked with the indelible ink that is synonymous with voting in India.

Screenshot of the Google doodle

The ink is applied after a voter casts their vote to keep a record of the same.

India is the world's largest democracy, followed by countries like the USA, Indonesia, and Brazil.

This election will see a fiercely fought battle between the NDA, whose largest member BJP looks to increase its foothold in the Lok Sabha, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many others having raised cries of 'Abki baar 400 paar', and the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc that has been formed to try and keep the BJP out of power.

Voting in India will take place in seven phases across 82 days, making this one of the largest Lok Sabha polling exercises the country has witnessed. Votes will be counted and results declared on June 4.

In the first phase, 16.63 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise. Of the 102 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP had won 40 in 2019 while its allies bagged 11. The opposition got the rest with DMK getting 24, Congress 15, and the rest others.

Among the states, where polling is being held today, all eyes are on Tamil Nadu where the BJP is working hard to open its account and challenge AIADMK and DMK.

While the BJP is seeking another win based on highlighting their developments and achievements in infrastructure, Congress is seeking to return to power by underscoring issues like employment and inflation. The nation sees polls take place amid opposition accusations that the government is using central agencies to crack down on the former's leaders.

Currently, JMM chief and ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren is in jail, as is Arvind Kejriwal, the current Delhi CM and AAP supremo. Both leaders remain part of the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc.

Track our coverage of the Assembly elections here