Factbox-India to hold world's largest elections between April and June

A kite-maker prepares kites with election symbols of Indian political parties at his shop ahead of India's general election, in Kolkata, India, March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri/File Photo

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Nearly a billion people will be eligible to vote in India's general elections, to be held over almost seven weeks from April 19, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek a record-equalling third straight term.

The elections for 543 seats in India's Lok Sabha, or lower house of parliament, will run through June 4, a mammoth exercise spanning the country's varied terrain. More than 2,400 political parties are expected to put up candidates.