"India is the largest democratic country in the world": Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Singh casts vote in Ranchi

Ranchi: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh emphasized India's status as the largest democratic country in the world, celebrating the vibrant democratic process during the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
Singh noted the deep roots of India's democratic tradition, which have been growing stronger for over 75 years. " The roots of India's democracy have been growing deeper for over 75 years. It is the largest democratic country in the world," he affirmed.
Singh further said that this is the most sacred and pure occasion of democracy. It is the people's state, and the most evident proof of this is that people determine the future of who will govern through their votes.
"For each of us, in the democratic system, it is both a sacred and pure duty and responsibility to vote and to choose our representatives through voting--representatives who can significantly improve and advance our destiny, our future, and the future of the country and society in our view," Singh said.
Highlighting the significance of democracy, Singh added, "Human society has not yet seen a system better than democracy. In it, we decide who our representative will be, and this is its most sacred opportunity. And on such a large scale, people are coming out of their homes to vote; even before 7 in the morning, people are standing here. This is the enthusiasm and celebration for democracy."
The Deputy Chairman cast his vote early in the morning at a polling station in Ranchi district of Jharkhand, joining the multitude of voters demonstrating their commitment to the democratic process.
The sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls includes eight seats in Bihar, all 10 seats in Haryana, one seat in Jammu and Kashmir, four in Jharkhand, all seven seats in Delhi, six in Odisha, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, and eight in West Bengal.
The voting started at 7 am, and the closure timing of polls may differ constituency-wise, according to the Election Commission of India.
Notably, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is part of the INDIA bloc and is contesting elections in alliance with the Congress in Jharkhand and Odisha. Jharkhand is polling across four phases: May 13, 20, 25, and June 1.
In 2019, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 12 seats in Jharkhand, with the BJP winning 11. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress got one seat each. The general elections are being held in seven phases in a six-week marathon running from April 19 to June 1.