Democracy put to the test in India's general election

India's general election for the lower house of parliament kicked off on April 19. With about 970 million eligible voters, it is the world's largest national election. To avoid confusion, the voting is being divided into seven phases across the different states and regions, with ballot counting scheduled for June 4.

India is the undisputed leader among the developing countries collectively known as the Global South. We hope the election will be carried out in a free and fair manner without inciting divisions within the country. That would underscore the value of democracy, which some have noted to be in retreatworldwide.