India's Modi casts his vote as giant election reaches half-way mark

Polling official Geeta Iyer, 51, sits next to election material after collecting it at a distribution centre, ahead of the third phase of the general elections, in Ahmedabad, India, May 6, 2024. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

AHMEDABAD/GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) -Prime Minister Narendra Modi voted early on Tuesday as India held the third phase of a massive general election, when seats in his home state Gujarat and 10 other regions will be decided.

The world's most populous nation began voting on April 19 in a seven-phase election in which nearly one billion people are eligible to vote, with ballots set to be counted on June 4.