YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Indians began voting on Monday in the fifth phase of mammoth general elections, with 89.5 million voters set to pick representatives for 49 seats, Reuters reports.

The voting is underway in 6 states and 2 union territories.

The world's largest election began on April 19, amid high summer temperatures, with the weather office predicting more days of heatwaves than usual through the season.

Votes will be counted on June 4, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to win a rare third consecutive term, the report adds.

Nearly a billion people are eligible to vote in the elections to the lower house of India’s bicameral Parliament, the Lok Sabha, which has 543 seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) competes against an alliance of more than two dozen opposition parties, including main rival Congress.