TODAY the largest democracy in the world – India – goes to polls. In what is billed as the biggest and largest political show in the world, about 31 million voters will cast their ballots in the first phase of a month-long staggered voting process. The fate of about 315 candidates for parliament and 1,833 for the state legislatures will be sealed today. Some 124 constituencies – out of a total of 543 – are going to the polls today. These are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep. The highest number of seats in the first phase is from Andhra Pradesh, 22 out of a total of 42. The fate of political parties in Kerala will be sealed today as voting is taking place on all its 20 constituencies. Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar – the so-called Hindi heartland and which are crucial to deciding the outcome of the results – are also voting today. Sixteen, out of a total of 80 seats from UP, and 13 out of 40 from Bihar are up for grabs in the first phase. This election is unique in more than one ways. An estimated 714 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots this time, an increase of 43 million over the 2004 election. An estimated Rs1,120 Crores (176 million €) has been budgeted for election expenses. It has been announced that 499 constituencies – out of a total 543 – will see elections conducted on the basis of the newly delimited constituencies as determined by the Delimitation Commission set up under the Delimitation Act, 2002. This includes the NCT of Delhi, the Union Territory of Puducherry and all the states except Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Manipur and Nagaland. Results from the elections, which will use more than 1.3 million electronic voting machines in 828,804 polling stations, will be announced on May 16. Like the previous elections, this poll too is not expected to give majority to any single party. Regional parties, again, are expected to play the king maker's role. But, of late, opinion polls, do not reflect the outcome. Last time opinion polls gave clear majority to the rightist BJP, but the outcome was entirely different. So it is difficult to predict the voters' mind. This election will also be marked for the hate speeches and personal attacks during campaigning. __
