As voting for seven-phase Lok Sabha polls began on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all voters of the country to exercise their franchise in record numbers.

PM Modi particularly called upon the young and first-time voters to vote in large numbers.

Taking to social media platform 'X', PM Modi said, "The 2024 Lok Sabha elections commence today! As 102 seats across 21 States and UTs go to the polls, I urge all those voting in these seats to exercise their franchise in record numbers."

"I particularly call upon the young and first time voters to vote in large numbers. After all, every vote counts and every voice matters!" he added.

The world's largest democratic exercise kicked off in the country today, with the first phase of a marathon exercise stretching out over seven phases to elect 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha.

A total of 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories will vote in the first phase today. Vote counting will be done on June 4.

Those voting in the first phase include seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.