India's general elections to start from April 7

India will go to polls on April 7 this year, the country's independent Election Commission announced Wednesday.

The nine-phase general elections will be held from April 7 to May 12 while results are to be declared on May 16, India's Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath told the media in the national capital.

Some 814 million people will cast their ballots to elect some 543 Members in the Lower House of Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha), nearly 100 million more than in 2009.

"With our announcement of the schedule, the model code of conduct comes into force with immediate effect," Sampath said.

This means that neither the central government nor any state government will be able to announce any policy till the next government is formed in this country.

The long election schedule is meant to ensure that security forces can be moved across the country for adequate deployment in sensitive areas.

The elections will witness a battle between the ruling Congress- led United Progressive Alliance and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance.

While the corruption-tainted Congress party is seeking a comeback in power under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the BJP hopes to form the next government with controversial politician Narendra Modi as the prime minister.

According to opinion polls, the BJP is likely to emerge as the single largest party while the anti-graft activist Arvind Kejriwal- led Aam Aadmi Party is seen as an unpredictable element in the elections.

Since 1989, India has only been ruled by an alliance as no single party won majority.