Modi’s political opponents and international rights campaigners have long sounded the alarm on India’s shrinking democratic space. US think-tank Freedom House said this year that the BJP had “increasingly used government institutions to target political opponents”. – Heatwave ‘red alert’ –India is voting in seven phases over six weeks to ease the immense logistical burden of staging an election in the world’s most populous country. The India Meteorological Department warned of heightened health risks for infants, the elderly and those with chronic diseases. More than 968 million people are eligible to vote in the Indian election, with the final round of polling on June 1 and results expected three days later.

Source: The Guardian May 25, 2024 14:05 UTC