New Delhi, April 19 : US diplomat Atul Keshap, president of the US-India Business Council, on Friday said with 970 million eligible voters and 1.2 million polling places, India's national election is the Maha Kumbh of democracy.

"Heartiest congratulations to the great people of India as they begin the largest exercise of electoral choice in the entire history of our species," Keshap wrote in a post on X.

"With 970 million eligible voters and 1.2 million polling places, India's national election is the Maha Kumbh Mela of democracy," he added.

In the first of the seven-phase exercise, voting is being held in 102 seats across 21 states and Union Territories.

The first phase of polls is being held on all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Rajasthan (12), Uttar Pradesh (eight), Madhya Pradesh (six), Uttarakhand (five), Arunachal Pradesh (two), Meghalaya (two) and one each in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim and Lakshadweep.

Besides, there will be five seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, three in West Bengal, two in Manipur, and one each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh.

Four states -- Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh -- will also pick new assemblies alongside this Lok Sabha election.

/IANS