Nominations for India elections

BJP supporters rallying for the prime minister

Nominations have opened for the first phase of India's general elections in which some 675 million people can vote.

They will elect 141 representatives to the national parliament on 20 April, the first of five days of voting.

Voting ends on 10 May and counting of ballots begins on 13 May with results expected the same day.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition is pushing for a third straight term in office.

The voting has been staggered to allow security forces to be deployed in sensitive areas.

On 20 April voting will be spread across 15 of India's 28 states, including Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir.

In detail: Who votes when

Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani and Defence Minister George Fernandes are among the many seeking re-election in the first phase.

Mr Advani is contesting from Gandhinagar in Gujarat state, Mr Fernandes is the sitting MP from Nalanda in Bihar.

Mr Advani is in the middle of a campaign road show, travelling across the country to raise support for the BJP.

India is the world's largest democracy. The millions of voters will choose 543 members of parliament.

For the first time ever, voting in all seats will be conducted electronically, with special electronic voting machines replacing manual ballot boxes.

Congress challenge

India's main opposition Congress Party led by Sonia Gandhi is seeking to oust the BJP in the forthcoming polls.

Mrs Gandhi is the Italian-born widow of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and earlier this week announced she would contest the polls from the constituency of her late mother-in-law Indira Gandhi.

The Congress is also fielding her son, Rahul, from the family stronghold of Amethi, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Congress has ruled India for more than 40 years since independence in 1947 but has been out of power for the past eight years.

The BJP is the first non-Congress government to complete a full term in office.