Google celebrates beginning of Lok Sabha Elections with doodle

Google on Thursday marked the beginning of Lok Sabha Elections in India with a doodle. The Google doodle shows an inked finger. Upon clicking it directs users to a page that explains the voting procedure. The page also contains important information for first-time voters in the country. Voters in 91 constituencies are going to polls in the first phase of voting. Nearly 90 crore people will exercise their franchise on seven different dates between April 11 and May 19, according to the Election Commission. Other than Lok Sabha seats, voting for Assembly polls will also be held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and the first phase of Odisha. 

Google has announced the following voting process in its doodle: 

• First polling official will check your name on the voter list and check your ID proof
• Second polling official will ink your finger, give you a slip and take your signature on a register (Form 17A)
• You will have to deposit the slip at the third polling official and show your inked finger and then proceed to the polling booth
• Record your vote by pressing the ballot button opposite the symbol of the candidate of your choice on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM); You will hear a beep sound
• Check the slip that appears in the transparent window of the VVPAT machine. The slip with the Candidate serial No., Name and Symbol shall be visible for 7 seconds before it drops in the sealed VVPAT box
• You can press NOTA, None of the Above if you don't like any candidate; it's the last button on the EVM
• For more information, please see the Voter Guide on ecisveep.nic.in
• Mobile phones, cameras or any other gadget is not allowed inside a polling booth.

The BJP-led NDA government seeks another term in power banking on the ‘Modi wave’ and the work done for development and social upliftment it claims to have done in the last five years. 

On the other hand, a buoyed Congress – boosted with the recent victories in three Hindi heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan – is seeking to turn the tide under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.