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India’s Second Longest Election Concludes After Rs 1 Lakh Crore Expenditure

India’s second longest Lok Sabha election, spanning 44 days from April 19 to June 1, concluded on Saturday, making it one of the most extensive electoral processes in the country’s history. Only the inaugural parliamentary election, which lasted over four months, surpasses its duration.

With approximately 969 million eligible voters, this seven-phase election saw lower polling percentages compared to 2019. Factors such as intense heat and the absence of a clear overarching narrative or widespread discontent were cited as reasons for the reduced turnout.

The election witnessed unprecedented spending, estimated at around Rs 1 lakh crore, making it one of the costliest elections globally, rivaling even the combined 2020 US elections. Despite spending limits of Rs 75-95 lakh per candidate, which have been raised significantly over the years, election spending has continued to escalate, with an estimated average of nearly Rs 100 crore per Lok Sabha constituency in 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led an extensive campaign with over 206 rallies and outreach programs, along with 80 media interviews, while opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were actively engaged in public outreach with 107 and 108 programs respectively.

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