Letter.

LetterPublished inTheNationalUAE on 22 Mar 24The scope and scale of India’s general election I write in reference to Taniya Dutta’s article India general election: Date, voters and how the world’s largest polls are staged (March 18): those unfamiliar with India's electoral process may be startled to read that this year's general election will be held in seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. But the sheer size of both the country and its electorate makes the task of holding the world’s largest election extremely challenging, especially in the scorching heat, which explains the need to stagger it over one and a half months. The high stakes involved make this exercise even more challenging, not just for the Election Commission of India but for the security forces and other organs of government. Moreover, with much controversy surrounding electronic voting – amid concerns that machines could be compromised – bureaucrats will have their work cut out to ensure that the entire process is foolproof. They have my best wishes. K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India