The Lok Sabha election is the biggest democratic undertaking on Earth, with hundreds of millions of voters casting their ballot. Pulling off a vote of this size is no mean feat. Here are some of the bewildering numbers behind polls of this scale from the Election Commission:
900 million
The number of citizens eligible to vote. In the last election held in 2014, there were roughly 815 million, but just 550 million exercised their right to vote.
In India's first election in 1951, there were 173 million eligible voters.
85 million
The increase in the number of eligible voters across the country in this election compared to 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP stormed to power in a landslide.
15 million
The number of eligible voters aged 18 to 19 in this election. Two-thirds of Indians are under 35.
38,325
Voters identifying as transgender, recognised by Supreme Court as a distinct third gender in 2014.
1.1 million
The number of electronic voting machines required for all the ballots to be cast in the mega-election.
1 million
Polling stations to be erected for the election.
8,251
The number of candidates who contested the elections in 2014.
3,626
The number of political parties -- though only 1,841 are recognised by the Election Commission.
545
Seats in the lower house of the Parliament, the Lok Sabha. Only 543 are up for grabs in this election -- two are reserved.
186
The number of lawmakers elected to Parliament in 2014 with criminal records.
42 million
The amount of dollars seized by election officials from politicians and their supporters for misuse -- including vote buying -- during the last poll. Candidates are only allowed to spend $100,000.
16 million
Litres of alcohol confiscated by authorities during the 2014 campaign. Alcohol is often used to buy votes from poorer communities.
17,000
Kilograms of illegal drugs seized during the same period in 2014.
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