World's largest democracy votes

K. K. Arora/Reuters

Supporters of Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate for India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), climb up the poles of a temporary tent to get a glimpse of Modi during an election campaign rally, April 21, 2014.

Around 815 million people have registered to vote in the world's biggest election - a world record number that exceeds the population of Europe - and results of the mammoth exercise, which concludes on May 12, are due on May 16.

Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

K. K. Arora

People wave towards a helicopter carrying Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi.

Ajmer, Rajasthan

Ahmad Masood/Reuters

A woman leaves after casting her vote inside a polling station, April 17, 2014.

Ajmer, Rajasthan

Ahmad Masood/Reuters

A man wearing a traditional turban waits to cast his vote outside a polling station, April 17, 2014.

Assam, India

Utpal Baruah/Reuters

Polling officers with electronic voting machines (EVM) along with Indian security personnel travel in a boat to reach polling stations, April 23, 2014.

Gujarat, India

Amit Dave/Reuters

Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi waves to his supporters as he arrives to file nomination papers for the general elections, April 9, 2014.

Criss-crossing the country for months before the first phase of voting began on Monday, the BJP and its candidate for prime minister, Modi, had mainly campaigned on a ticket of better governance, economic development and job creation.

Uttar Pradesh, India

Pawan Kumar/Reuters

Rahul Gandhi (in white), India's ruling Congress party vice president and son of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are showered with rose petals by their supporters upon Rahul's arrival to file his nomination for the general election, April 12, 2014.

Uttar Pradesh, India

Pawan Kumar/Reuters

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, daughter of India's ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, adjusts her flower garlands as she campaigns for her mother, April 22, 2014.

Chennai, India

Babu/Reuters

An Indian security personnel stands guard outside an election material distribution centre, April 23, 2014.

Srinagar, India

Danish Ismail/Reuters

Supporters of Kashmir's ruling National Conference party crowd to listen as Farooq Abdullah, April 7, 2014.

Assam, India

Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters

A woman shows her ink-marked finger after casting her vote, April 7, 2014.

Mumbai, India

Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Gaurav Sharma, an independent candidate also known as the Indian Spider-Man, poses as he arrives to file his nomination for the general election, April 4, 2014.

Arunachal Pradesh, India

Utpal Baruah

People stand in line to cast their votes, April 9,2014.

New Delhi, India

Vijay Mathur/Reuters

Sonia Gandhi, chief of India's ruling Congress party, arrives to cast her vote at a polling station, April 10, 2014.

Allahabad, India

Jitendra Prakash/Reuters

Akhilesh Yadav, chief minister of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, disembarks from a helicopter to address an election campaign, April 30, 2014.

Nagpur, India

Uttar Pradesh, India

Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Women get their voter slips from a polling agent, April 17, 2014.

Maharashtra, India

Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

A polling officer writes the hourly voting percentage at a polling station, April 17, 2014.